Driving tips and other life stuff

Improving your cornering: anticipating hazards

Ever been in a situation where you're happily driving along and go to swing into your usual parking spot, only to find a car/person/traffic cone there instead? Yeah, you'll know about that sudden sicky feeling you get in your stomach then. A bit like when you think you've dropped your phone and you start manically patting every pocket you own. It's the worst.

Situations like that usually result in you having to hit the brakes hard too, which then leads to harsh braking feedback from ingenie. So double the drop on your discount. You see the problem.

Here's some tips to help break that cycle and ace your cornering and driving style.

Hazard awareness

Hazard: any object, situation, or behaviour that has the potential to cause injury, ill health, or damage.

You'd never step out into the road without looking left and right first, and the same applies to turning into a road or junction. Look, look and look again and if you can't see due to a blind spot, assume there could be a hazard and drop your speed right down.

It sounds obvious but the cause of SO many crashes is drivers not expecting to come across a hazard.

   

When taking a corner, assess the road ahead as you turn. You may come across a parked car on one side or traffic lights that might cause you to react. If you’re thinking about this you’re less likely to react late if there is a hazard.

Maria
ingenie's Driving Feedback Team

Drop your speed

Speed and the potential for hazards is never a good combo, and so even if the cul-de-sac, car park, drive or garage you drive into every day is ALWAYS clear - it doesn't mean it will be today. And so dropping your speed right down and getting in the right gear will help you sail through the corner safely.

Fast cornering is dangerous and put simply, it just doesn't give your driving reactions enough TIME to wake up if the unexpected appears.

At ingenie we measure cornering in G-force using the black box in your car. How fast you’re turning can be a factor here but it's important to remember you can still be producing high G-force by turning too sharply, even if you’re not going fast.

So think smooth, controlled cornering and let your eyes, arms and feet do the rest.