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Distractions in stage four
Learn how to manage distractions in stage four.
In this topic
Distractions and driving in stage four
Types of distractions in stage four
Strategies to manage distractions in stage four
Mobiles and devices
Video: What happened to Karla?
Passengers
Managing the distractions of passengers
Passengers and your mental workload
Distractions and driving in stage four
Knowing what sorts of activities can cause distractions while driving and knowing how to manage them is part of being a safe driver.
Being distracted from driving increases your chance of having a crash.
Your aim is to focus your attention on driving and not be distracted by visual, physical or mental distractions.
Types of distractions in stage four
Managing distractions in stage four
As you’re rehearsing to drive solo, you’ll need to manage a range of distractions that could potentially take your focus off driving.
The situation:
You're driving with loose objects in the vehicle.
Strategy:
Secure any loose objects before you start driving.
Pull over and put them away.
Taking your eyes off the road environment for just two seconds doubles your crash risk.
Mobiles and devices
It's against the law for you to use a mobile when driving.
Learners and P drivers must not use their mobile, hand-held or hands-free at any time while driving, even if you’re stationary.
Some ways to manage your mobile are:
- Turn it to silent and put it away and out of reach.
- Divert your calls to voicemail.
Passengers
Let your passengers know how important it is they let you focus on driving by minimising distractions.
You need to concentrate on driving, so it’s okay to tell your passengers to settle down if they’re becoming a distraction.
Managing the distraction of passengers
On your P1 licence, you can only carry one peer passenger aged 16 to 22 years.
Passengers and your mental workload
Anything that distracts you when driving, increases your mental workload which affects your ability to notice changes in the environment.
Having more than one passenger in the car can be very distracting for an inexperienced driver, especially if the passenger is under the influence of alcohol.
This type of situation significantly increases the chance of having a crash.