1. Distraction Distractions while driving cause accidents
April 2011
Distraction
Distractions while driving cause accidents
Distractions affect the information you receive, and your reactions to it:
They draw attention away from the driving task
They delay recognition of safety threats
They can impair effective control of the vehicle
An insurance industry survey revealed that ~75% of all drivers engage in activities that take their attention away from the road
Several studies indicate that distractions are a factor in more than 25% (possibly as many as 50%) of all vehicle accidents
Types of Distraction
Cognitive – thinking about something other than the specifics of the current driving task
Visual – rubbernecking or staring to get a better view of something or someone outside the vehicle
Auditory – listening to a radio chat show, or a passenger
Physical – taking hands off wheel, e.g. to adjust the heating, change radio station, take a drink of water
How to manage Distraction
Minimise the sources of physical/visual/auditory distraction
Plan your route, programme the GPS in advance
Switch the phone off and use your rest breaks
Get comfortable, adjust the seat/mirrors etc
Avoid drinks in vehicles
Minimise the sources of mental distraction
Assess your mental state before you start (alert?)
Get your brain in gear, focus on driving
Devote your full-time attention to the driving task (part of the work activity)
Maintain your mental concentration
Do a mental or verbal driving commentary to yourself, repeat periodically e.g. every 30 minutes, or when you notice you’ve become distracted
Keep your eyes moving - actively scan for hazards and then analyse them – what could happen, how could it affect you, how should you react.