What is a Developing Hazard?
When driving along the road and you spot a potential hazard like a pedestrian on the footpath for example, you can take them into account when making any adjustments to your driving but if the potential hazard then starts to step out into your path then they become a developing hazard. This action now forces you to react in some way immediately.
If you think about junctions the vehicle coming out of an approaching junction will be a potential hazard, but if they do not slow down sufficiently or stop in time they become a developing hazard.
In short a developing hazard is a hazard that causes you to react in some way immediately.
What is a Potential Hazard?
A potential hazard is anything that could affect your progress on the road. You will meet a number of potential hazards regularly in your daily driving practice. A potential hazard is a hazard that could potentially cause you a problem, for example the following are all potential hazards;
Pedestrians on the footpath waiting to cross the road.
Children playing on the footpath.
Dogs on the footpath with children.
Traffic emerging out from a side road.
In short a potential hazard is a hazard that could potentially cause you a problem and you might have to react to it pretty soon.