On a long straight road, where should your eyes spend most of their time?

Effective scanning on a long, straight road means keeping your gaze 12 to 15 seconds ahead — about a quarter mile at highway speed — while sweeping side to side and checking mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds. This gives you time to identify problems while they are still distant and to take smooth, planned action. Fixating on the vehicle directly ahead reduces your awareness of the bigger picture and leads to tailgating. Staring at the road just in front of the hood causes the eye to follow rapid motion and produces a tunnel-vision feeling, which can induce drowsiness. The speedometer should be glanced at periodically to confirm speed, not stared at. Active scanning is the difference between defensive driving and reactive driving.