The Smith System of Training is a program that was developed by Harold Smith in 1948 and established as a company, The Smith System Driver Improvement Institute was established in 1952. They provide training to companies with vehicle fleets, driving schools and government agencies. There are five key concepts to the Smith System designed to see and avoid driving hazards.
The principle of Aim High is to look far enough into the distance to identify potential risks. When looking out the windshield, the point to look at should be approximately fifteen seconds ahead of your current position. At 55 MPH, fifteen seconds is about one quarter of a mile. At 30 MPH, fifteen seconds is about one-tenth of a mile.
Recognizing potential hazards is essential to being able to react and prevent collisions. The big picture involves what is around you and what may possibly happen as a result of what you see. If there is a car to your left and a person ahead near a crosswalk, the big picture tells you there is a potential the person may cross in front of you, and the car will prevent you from being able to move over.
A person's typical field of vision includes two primary areas. The first is the core vision, which is the most focused area. The core vision covers approximately 3 degrees to each side of where the person is looking. The peripheral vision covers approximately 180 degrees, or close to shoulder to shoulder. The peripheral vision will sense objects and movement but not clearly enough to accurately identify what the object is or what it is doing. Keep moving your eyes, changing the focal point every two or three seconds.
Space is essential to avoid a collision. Creating a good following distance will provide you time to recognize and react to situations that may result in a collision. Keeping a space cushion to the sides will allow you to maneuver the vehicle to avoid objects in the road or move out of the way of another vehicle that moves into your path of travel.
Proper communication with other vehicles allows other drivers to anticipate what you will be doing, so they can react appropriately. Turn signals should be used approximately 200 feet prior to turning. Headlights help others see you and should be used even during daylight hours. Situations, such as a stop sign at an intersection, can create confusion regarding who is going to cross first. Making eye contact and hand gestures can be used to eliminate the confusion.
