Chapter 4-3b: Time – the key to judgment

The “Time – the key to judgment” section of the Saskatchewan Driver Knowledge Test emphasizes the crucial role time plays in making safe driving decisions.

Saskatchewan Driving Test - Chapter 4-3b: Time – the key to judgment

1 / 30

When you look up in urban areas, you gain information about:

Traffic flow, light sequences, and major obstructions or construction

Weather conditions only

The color of buildings

Storefront advertisements

2 / 30

When curving left on a highway, you should focus on:

The shoulder line nearest you

The road immediately in front of your tires

The centre line as far as you can see it

The hood of your vehicle

3 / 30

You should never permit yourself to drive in a situation where there are fewer than:

Two gates open

One gate open

Three gates open

Four gates open

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A basic search sequence that applies both on highways and in urban areas is:

Check mirrors, then radio, then phone

Look up, reference down, sweep left, sweep right, then repeat

Look only straight ahead at all times

Watch instruments continuously

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On a straight highway, looking up may allow you to see as far as:

Up to 90 seconds ahead

5 seconds ahead

3 seconds ahead

30 seconds ahead

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In general, the more often the situation changes around you on the highway, the more often you must:

Check your phone

Change lanes

Search using your pattern

Use cruise control

7 / 30

In urban driving, you should sweep your eyes to the sides:

Less often than on the highway

Only when stopped at a light

Further and more frequently than on the highway

Only at night

8 / 30

You should check your mirrors often to see if:

The rear and two side gates are open

You are in the correct gear

Your headlights are on

Road signs are visible

9 / 30

At 100 km/h, 12 seconds ahead on the road is approximately where:

You can no longer see roadside signs

The spaces in the broken lane lines disappear

The road meets the horizon

The beam of your headlights ends

10 / 30

“Checking your gates” means:

Assessing the space around your vehicle on all four sides

Looking only at oncoming traffic

Checking if your doors are locked

Checking only the lane to your left

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A key benefit of steering where you look is that it helps prevent:

Excess fuel consumption

Headlight glare

Wandering within a lane or from lane to lane

Tire wear

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When filling in the gap on highways, you should especially check:

Road signs in the distance only

The radio display and climate controls

Only the color of the vehicles ahead

Vehicles in front, road surface, and shoulders

13 / 30

When driving on a highway, “looking up” means:

Looking mainly at your speedometer

Looking as far ahead as you can see, toward the horizon

Looking only 2–3 seconds ahead

Looking only at the vehicle directly in front of you

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When you cannot see clearly 12 seconds ahead in the city, you should:

Slow to a complete stop

Ignore the vehicles ahead and watch only side streets

Look only in your mirrors

Look around or through the windows of vehicles ahead

15 / 30

In urban areas, “looking up” means:

Watching only the closest traffic light

Focusing solely on pedestrians next to your vehicle

Looking as far ahead as you can see, usually several lights or blocks ahead

Only looking at the car in front of you

16 / 30

In urban areas, referencing down means:

Looking only 2 seconds ahead

Looking at your lap

Focusing on the curb beside you

Moving your eyes from the far-ahead view to about 12 seconds ahead at city speeds

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Overall, to establish effective search patterns of up to 90 seconds ahead and a 12-second reference point, a driver must:

Take frequent breaks from driving

Drive only during low-traffic hours

Recognize past shortcomings and practise until the pattern becomes a habit

Use only automatic transmission vehicles

18 / 30

Filling in the gap in urban areas is needed more often than on highways because:

City roads are always narrower

City speed limits are always lower

There are fewer lane lines

You do not have as clear a view ahead

19 / 30

The most important recurring elements in your highway search sequence are to:

Check gas gauge and odometer

Watch only the vehicle ahead

Look up and reference down

Check mirrors and radio

20 / 30

In city driving, being aware of your gates is especially important because:

Traffic lights are always red

Vehicles are more likely to be in your blind spot

There are no lane markings

Pedestrians never use crosswalks

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“Referencing down” on a highway means:

Focusing only on your rearview mirror

Looking only 2 seconds ahead for close hazards

Lowering your speed by 20 km/h

Moving your eyes down from the horizon to about 12 seconds ahead

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Developing good search patterns (looking up and referencing down) requires:

Admitting you have not been looking far enough ahead and practising the technique

Only driving during daylight

Avoiding driving on curves

Buying special driving glasses

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If you cannot control your rear and side gates in the city, you should at least:

Speed up to create space in front

Change lanes repeatedly

Drop back and double your following distance to about five or six seconds

Turn on your hazard lights

24 / 30

One common mistake drivers make when first practising “look up / reference down” is:

Driving too slowly for conditions

Looking too far to each side

Not looking as far ahead as they can see

Ignoring their mirrors completely

25 / 30

You should check your instruments on highways when:

You are passing another vehicle

You are approaching an intersection

You are on a straight stretch, with your gates open and no real or potential hazards ahead

You are entering a tight curve

26 / 30

When curving right on a highway, you should focus on:

The centre line near the front of your vehicle

The shoulder line to the point where it disappears

The right side mirror only

The dashboard instruments

27 / 30

“Filling in the gap” on highways refers to:

Speeding up to close the distance to the vehicle ahead

Checking the road and traffic between your vehicle and your 12-second reference point

Focusing on the roadside scenery

Turning off your headlights

28 / 30

“Sweeping highways with your eyes” means:

Watching only the vehicle directly in front of you

Checking the rearview mirror only

Staring at the road directly in front of your vehicle

Scanning across and to the sides for potential hazards about 12 seconds ahead

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A main purpose of using a structured search pattern (look up, reference down, sweep, fill the gap, check gates) is to:

Reduce the need for mirrors

Detect and respond to hazards early and steer accurately

Eliminate the need to signal

Keep your eyes busy for no reason

30 / 30

Even a quick speed check typically takes about:

Half a second

One and a half seconds

Ten seconds

Five seconds

Your score is

This section educates drivers on the importance of leaving enough time and space to react to changing road conditions, other vehicles, and unexpected hazards. Understanding how long it takes to stop, turn, or change lanes safely can prevent collisions and improve overall road safety. The test evaluates a driver’s ability to assess timing in various scenarios, such as following distances and intersection management. Mastering this concept is essential for responsible and confident driving in Saskatchewan.