The next example is designed to point out how the length of our visual search pattern changes. If you were driving down an open highway where speeds are much higher, then looking far down the road becomes the secret to minimizing risk in this situation. Highways require higher speeds so the faster you go, the further you need to look down the road. The further down the road you look, the sooner you get the information and the better you can respond. What if the information was a large truck had just flipped over? Then exiting the road might be your best and safest solution. While driving on a big, open road your sources of danger will be further apart and maybe adjusting a radio or looking away might be a possibility. Before adjusting your radio, give a look in your mirrors and blind spots to check for other cars, then you can look away. See? Knowing when to look away is the secret.
These different situations demonstrate key points that minimize risk. Sometimes we are able to look far down the road and gather information that keeps us safe and sometimes we are not. Second, danger can come from a variety of sources and directions. Search for danger and prepare for it. Finally, a higher speed means you will have to search faster for the sources of danger, be able to identify them faster, and have a safe response to them. Why do this to yourself? Slow down. You may be able to search faster than other drivers but can you have a safe response to the problem once you have identified it? This single driving activity of identifying and safely reacting is why I think drivers under 25 have so many more fatal crashes and collisions than older age groups. They think they can drive faster than the situation allows for and they often combine this with alcohol which of course impairs their ability to drive