02/09/2026
I’m currently travelling across Sri Lanka, and one thing I’ve noticed is that drivers often use safety margins that are smaller than what I’m comfortable with.
Today was a good reminder of why safety margins matter.
The vehicle I was travelling in had overtaken an old truck carrying wood, leaving a relatively tight gap between us. Shortly afterwards, the road ahead was partially blocked by fallen branches. With an oncoming vehicle approaching, our driver had to brake and stop unexpectedly.
Unfortunately, the old truck behind us wasn’t able to stop in time and lightly collided with the back of our vehicle.
Thankfully, nobody was hurt and the damage was minimal.
But it’s a good reminder that on the road, things don’t always go as expected. Obstacles appear, traffic stops suddenly, and situations can change in an instant.
Build safety margins into your driving. Leave enough space, time and distance to deal with the unexpected.
Because sometimes the difference between a close call and a serious accident is simply having enough margin for error.
