Situational Awareness on the Road

[The Stig]

So there I was cruising southbound on a Mississippi state highway when a Katrina cottage being hauled on a flatbed approached going north. This was a divided highway on a bright sunny day.

The flatbed had maybe 5 or 6 wheels/axles and was longer than normal. I happened to be looking towards the trailer since the Katrina cottage was a sickening shade of pink. All of a sudden there's a huge cloud of smoke and the trailer shutters a bit before heading down the road like normal.

What wasn't normal, however, was the entire wheel/tire that was suddenly bouncing down the road right next to the trailer. Somehow the entire wheel came off the trailer and went sailing down the road. Fortunately it was on the side facing away from oncoming traffic so it harmlessly bounced along in the grass until I lost sight of it. Had it launched into oncoming traffic however, it could have been deadly.

Since I've been spending so much time on the road lately it was a good reminder to maintain your SA while driving. This is especially true if a lot of people are trying to get out of one area at the same time (hurricane, chemical spill, large sporting event). The last thing you need while trying to clear out of an area is a fender bender (or more serious accident).

What tricks/tips do you have for keeping your SA sharp while on the road?

Further, what tricks/trips do you have for keeping your SA sharp while driving in heavy traffic or a stressful situation?

[LUNCHBOX]

I understand that speed and wanting to get where your going is sometimes the priority. What I will do if everyone is rolling along with not a care in the world is to back off out of the pack. You can always make up the time at another stretch of the road. Yours and your families safety is always the priority. Pull off, take a break, eat a snack....be safe.

[TEOTWAWKI13]

2 hours is about the maximum I'll drive, especially solo, without at very least stopping to stretch legs and back and get the bloodflowing again. That helps keep me alert and it only takes 5 minutes. Aside from that, I don't draft or get close to a pack of cars either. I was forced by my parents to take a defensive driving course when I was 15, and oddly enough, 21 years later, I still find myself looking 2, 3, 5 cars ahead, and have avoided some incidents because of it.

[alaska]

One thing I have learned is to not drive during dawn or dusk. That funky ambient flat light can screw with you.