Tips offered to stop distractions driving you to, er, distraction
Everyone falls into the trap of taking their eyes off the road while they’re driving at some point or another. Whether it’s turning round to tell off the kids in the back or sneaking a glance at the radio, we’ve all done it.
However, GEM Motoring Assist is concerned that motorists today are facing one too many distractions while they’re driving and has subsequently published a list of tips to help ensure you stay focused on the route ahead.
Writing in the autumn edition of Good Motoring magazine, road safety author Sandra Macdonald-Ames explained there are a range of visual, auditory and cognitive distractions battling for our attention nowadays, but warned that giving in to them can be risky.
First on her list of good advice was leaving mobile phones well alone, putting them in the glove box if necessary to avoid temptation.
Next came planning journeys well in advance, as this will reduce reliance on the sat nav and lessen the likelihood of drivers not looking at the road because they’re glued to a map.
Choosing music before you set off was another good tip, as was eating before you go and not being tempted to eat or drink at the wheel.
Finally, motorists were urged not to forget to provide something to keep passengers occupied, particularly if they’re children, as even low-level moaning about boredom can seriously infringe on anyone’s ability to concentrate.
“As drivers we now deal with more distractions than ever before. Where drivers divide their attention between the main task of driving and a secondary, distracting task, there will be a negative effect on driving performance. But the good news is that we can banish just about any distraction, as long as we want to,” Ms Macdonald-Ames concluded.
Up to 72 per cent of UK drivers admit to multi-tasking while they are driving, something that causes countless road accidents every year.