Driving a car comes with risks and hazards – particularly when you may be spending more time than most behind the wheel as a Just Eat courier. So it’s very important that you take precautions and measures to reduce risk and stay safe on the road.
Here are some tips on how to be a safe, low-risk driver.
Know the rules of the road
First and foremost, it is your responsibility as a Just Eat courier and a driver to know the rules of the road. You should familiarise yourself with the Highway Code, which contains both legal requirements and advisory guidelines for keeping yourself and others safe on the roads. It can be found here.
Always wear your seatbelt. It is a legal requirement and you can be fined up to £500 if you do not wear it. There are a few exemptions to the seatbelt laws, and they can be found here.
Observe your surroundings
Scanning is the key to good observation while driving. This is the process of ensuring that your eyes are constantly moving, by checking one area for a few seconds and then moving your eyes to another area. This allows any potential hazards to be identified allowing you to act accordingly.
When scanning the road, look:
- In the distance
- At the road surface
- To your left and right
- At your mirrors regularly
Remember the Mirror – Signal – Manoeuvre acronym to guide safe road movements.
Look out for vulnerable road users
Not every road user has the same protection as your car affords you. More vulnerable road users include cyclists, motorcyclists, scooter users, and pedestrians, and you should take extra care when around them. Give them plenty of space on the road in general and only overtake them when it is safe to do so.
Try to make eye contact where possible so they know you have seen them, and always signal so they know your intentions. You must adhere to advanced stop lines for cyclists at traffic junctions, and allow them plenty of time to move off when the light turns green.
Manage your speed appropriately
It is important that you drive within the speed limit. This will allow you to react quickly if a hazard is encountered. Slow down and prepare to stop (cover the brakes) if a potential danger is spotted. This may be a pedestrian standing close to the road, or a car turning in front of you. Slow down if you cannot see at least five seconds stopping distance ahead.
In difficult conditions such as when it is wet, icy or the road is unstable, reduce your speed as it will take longer for your vehicle to come to a complete stop.
For more information on driving in hazardous conditions, check out our post here.
Position yourself on the road safely
We recommend that you position your vehicle in a way that maximises the distance from any potential hazard. This process is referred to as buffering, and an example may be moving away from any parked cars to avoid any opening doors and pedestrians, or moving to the left when approaching the crest of the hill to create a ‘buffer’ from oncoming traffic. Make sure you scan your surroundings before you do this, and move over in good time so other road users have visibility of what you are doing.
You should keep extra distance from the kerb when there are pedestrians around, and never drive on the pavement or in cycle or bus lanes.
As per the Highway Code, overtake only when it is safe and legal to do so. Make sure you have clear visibility of the road ahead; that no one is overtaking you from behind, and you have plenty of time to complete the manoeuvre.
Keep your distance
In order to be a safer driver, maintain a safe space between your vehicle and others at all times.
The ‘two second rule’ is an effective technique in maintaining a crash avoidance space, and can be easily calculated.
To calculate this while driving, use the following technique:
- As the rear of the vehicle in front of you passes an object at the side of the road, for example a power pole, tree, or sign, start a two-second count.
- If your car passes the object you picked before you finish the two-second count, you are following too closely, i.e. your crash avoidance space is not sufficient
- Slow down, then re-count
At faster speeds, e.g. 70mph, this gap should be extended to 3 seconds. In poor driving conditions it is recommended to double (or more) your crash avoidance space. This gives you more time to react and respond to any hazards that may arise.
There is no rush
Although we expect orders to be delivered in a timely manner, you will not be negatively impacted if you are late due to an incident outside of your control. If you find you are significantly delayed on your way to the customer, please contact courier support to inform them. There is no need to rush.
