Analysing the road environment
Looking far, wide and around, distinguishing formal and informal clues, and developing anticipation.
Updated 13 June 2026
Attention: the key to safety
Whilst driving, all your attention must be directed outwards. Your gaze must continuously scan the road, pavements and junctions to anticipate dangers. A driver can only process one piece of information at a time, but experience allows you to sort and analyse relevant information more quickly.
The brain processes one piece of information at a time. Experience does not let you see everything at once, but lets you sort faster.
What is anticipation?
Anticipation is the ability to perceive situations early enough, analyse them correctly and make appropriate driving decisions. It is the only way to reduce reaction time. A lack of anticipation leads to accident-prone situations.
Vigilance drives anticipation. In all circumstances, favour caution: lifting your foot off the accelerator gives you more time to analyse what is happening around you.
Formal clues
Formal clues are official indications put in place by the authorities: road signs, road markings, traffic lights, continuous or broken lines. They guide the driver, inform them of dangers and indicate their direction.
A triangular danger sign warns of a hazard ahead. A rectangular direction sign with an arrow precedes the junction. An arrow-shaped sign points to the direction to take within the junction itself.
Informal clues
Informal clues are all the unofficial information drawn from observation, common sense and experience. For example, a stationary school bus alerts you that children may cross. A driving school car ahead indicates that the learner may brake suddenly or stall. A ball rolling onto the road signals that a child will probably follow it.
There is no systematic priority between formal and informal clues. Sometimes, a driver's gaze at a junction is more important than the road markings.
Commentary driving
To develop your anticipation, practise commentary driving: say out loud what you see (the clue), what could happen (the risk) and what you decide to do (the action). Example: 'I can see a green light that has been on for a while, it could turn amber, I am not accelerating and I am preparing to brake.'
Even as a passenger, suggest commentary driving to the driver. It is excellent training for spotting dangers.
Vulnerable road users
Children have unpredictable reactions and do not understand the Highway Code. Pedestrians on their phones do not see you. Cyclists sometimes ride in the middle of the lane. Each category of road user requires adapted attention and anticipation. Lifting your foot off the accelerator is always the right reaction when in doubt.
When in doubt, always lift your foot off the accelerator. It is the safest reflex.
Recap
- Attention must be permanently directed outwards: far, wide, around.
- Anticipation reduces reaction time. Without anticipation, situations become accident-prone.
- Formal clues: signs, markings, traffic lights. Informal clues: behaviour, context, common sense.
- No systematic priority between formal and informal: it all depends on the situation.
- Commentary driving develops anticipation: 'I see... it could... I decide to...'
- Children are unpredictable: always ease off near them.
- New drivers do not see all the clues: experience improves information sorting.
- When in doubt, the safest reflex is to lift your foot off the accelerator.
Test yourself
A roadside advertising board is a clue that is:
- ○Formal and useful
- ✓Useless (a distraction)
- ○Informal and useful
- ○Formal and compulsory
Correct answer : Useless (a distraction)
Anticipation mainly allows you to:
- ✓Reduce reaction time
- ○Increase speed
- ○Avoid looking in the mirrors
- ○Eliminate blind spots
Correct answer : Reduce reaction time
Sources: Sécurité routière (securite-routiere.gouv.fr) and service-public.fr.