Passing your driving test and buying your first car is one of the best feelings you’ll ever experience. Being able to drive gives you a new lease of life and allows you to travel near and far at your own leisure. For a long period of time after passing your test, you drive at your most cautious as driving alone can be pretty daunting. Going from having an experienced instructor in the vehicle with you to now driving on your own makes a big difference. No matter how nervous you might feel behind the wheel, it’s important to not be put off as the more time spent on the roads, will only increase your confidence and experience.
Being a confident driver is predominantly a good thing, but it also carries it downfalls. After using your vehicle on a daily basis and building up your miles, you can often become more relaxed behind the wheel and without knowing, become more distracted from the road ahead. The government and police are now issuing tougher punishments for drivers caught using their mobile phones and other ways in which your concentration can be taken away from the safety awareness needed when driving. If you believe you’re a confident driver and don’t get distracted when driving, then it’s worth trying out Kwik Fit’s #DrivenToDistraction game, as you’ll probably be surprised by your results.
To minimise your risk of being distracted on the roads, we’ve put together a few ways which may be of help to you.
Take regular breaks
When driving for long periods of time you can often become tired, which in turn can affect your concentration. If you know you have a long journey time ahead of you then make sure you schedule in regular breaks. Whether it’s at motorway service stations or just car parks en route, allow yourself some time to grab a coffee, stretch your legs or even get some sleep. Being tired is one of the main distractions whilst driving so it’s important to prevent this from happening to avoid tiredness being the cause of a potential collision.
Lower your music volume
Another main cause of being distracted whilst driving is the level of volume you play your music at. We all like to listen to our favourite playlist in the car but having it at a high volume can distract you from driving and other vehicles around you. As a driver you’ll often find yourself having to pull over to allow emergency service vehicles to pass, but your chances of hearing the sirens will significantly reduce if you’re listening to music at a high volume.
Keep fellow passengers occupied
For older passengers this may not be so relevant but if you’re traveling with children, then it’s important to make sure they’re occupied during your journey. When travelling for long periods of time, children in particular can become bored and agitated. To prevent this from happening and them distracting you once their boredom kicks in, it’s worthwhile making sure they have things to keep them occupied, such as magazines, books and snacks.
A few simple changes to your driving routine just like the ones mentioned above can have positive impact on your concentration and reduce your risk of distraction whilst behind the wheel. Too many accidents happen on the roads due to drivers being distracted, so it’s crucial we all do our bit to prevent this from happening.