When scanning ahead while riding, what are you looking for to anticipate hazards?

• A. Other vehicles, pedestrians, road debris, potholes, and changing road conditions
• B. Traffic lights only
• C. Weather forecasts
• D. Animals in nearby fields

Answer: (A)

Scanning ahead while riding means looking for potential hazards on the road so you can respond early. The most important things to notice are other vehicles, pedestrians, road debris, potholes, and changes in road conditions—like wet surfaces, gravel, lane shifts, or construction zones. Spotting these early lets you adjust speed, change lanes smoothly, or brake gradually, giving you more time to react and maintain a safe following distance. While traffic signals tell you when to stop or go and weather forecasts can affect riding later, they aren’t the immediate hazards you need to anticipate in the moment. Animals in nearby fields could cross, but they’re less predictable and encountered less consistently than the on-road hazards listed above.