What should you do with the SMITH system?

• A. Keep vehicle visible
• B. Aim high in steering
• C. Keep Eyes moving
• D. Get the big picture

Answer: (C)

The action focused on here is maintaining active visual scanning to detect hazards while operating an emergency vehicle. The SMITH system emphasizes continuously looking around you rather than simply staring straight ahead, so your awareness stays current in a dynamic environment.

Keeping your eyes moving is best because it prevents tunnel vision and helps you notice changes in traffic, pedestrians, road conditions, and other threats as they appear. By scanning methodically—using quick eye movements to sample the scene and refresh your mental picture—you can identify hazards early and plan a safe response instead of reacting late.

The other ideas touch on different skills—being seen by others, steering control, or forming a vague sense of the overall situation—but they don’t directly capture the disciplined habit of continuous gaze movement that the SMITH approach promotes for hazard recognition and safe maneuvering.