Your worst Nightmare

There is probably no sight on the road that strikes as much fear in us as that of another vehicle heading straight towards us. In this situation just a few seconds can make a difference between a hit or a miss. When a driver is heading straight towards us, we need to be able to get out of the way quickly. To avoid a head-on collision, observe the "four R's":

• Read the road ahead. Scan ahead for potential hazards.
• Drive to the right. Make a habit of driving slightly to the right of the center of your lane. This creates an extra cushion of space between you and the other drivers.
• Reduce speed. When you recognize a potential hazard ahead, slow down immediately. This gives you an extra cushion of time.
• Ride off the road. This may sound unnerving, but if you have to choose between hitting head-on or riding off the road onto the shoulder, your chances of surviving are better on the shoulder.

If the oncoming driver maintains a course to the front of your vehicle, you'll need to make these split-second decisions:

• Drive right, not left. Your first reaction may be to swerve left to avoid the oncoming driver in your lane. If you do that, and the other driver recovers, you will have a collision in the other lane.
• Drive, don't skid off the road. You need to maintain control of your vehicle when driving onto the shoulder. Apply hard pressure on ABS; squeeze standard brakes. Take your foot off the accelerator and steer smoothly.
• Hit something soft, not hard. If your have to ride off the road, hit something soft such as bushes or shrubs.
• Hit with a glancing blow. As a last resort, if you have to hit a fixed object or the oncoming vehicle, hit it with a glancing blow. If you hit head-on, the force of the impact is greater than it would be if you hit with a glancing blow.

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