Driver distraction
Driver distraction is a significant road safety risk. While mobile phone use often receives the most attention, a wide range of activities can divert a driver's attention and increase the likelihood of a collision. Distraction affects all road users and can reduce a driver's ability to recognise hazards, make decisions and control their vehicle safely.
What is driver distraction?
Driver distraction occurs when attention is diverted away from driving and towards another activity. This can reduce awareness of hazards, slow reaction times and affect driving performance.
Distractions generally fall into four categories:
- Visual – taking your eyes off the road
- Cognitive – thinking about something other than driving
- Manual – taking your hands off the steering wheel
- Auditory – focusing on sounds that are not related to driving safely
Many distractions involve more than one of these at the same time.
Why distraction matters
Research has consistently shown that distraction contributes to a large number of road collisions. Distracted drivers are more likely to:
- Miss hazards or recognise them later
- Fail to check mirrors and surroundings effectively
- Drift from their lane position
- Drive at inconsistent speeds
- Follow other vehicles too closely
- Make poor decisions under pressure
Drivers are often unaware of how much a distraction is affecting their performance, particularly when the distraction is cognitive rather than visual.
Mobile phones
Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is illegal. Current legislation prohibits drivers from holding and using a phone or similar device for almost any purpose while driving, including checking notifications, taking photos, scrolling playlists or using apps.
Although hands-free systems, which are available in many modern vehicles, remove the need to hold a phone, they do not remove cognitive distraction. Research shows that drivers engaged in phone conversations may fail to process important information in their surroundings, even when looking directly at the road ahead.
Best practice
- Activate "Do Not Disturb While Driving" settings.
- Put your phone out of reach before setting off.
- Programme navigation and audio before the journey begins.
- Never interact with a phone while driving.
- If you need to use your phone, stop in a safe, legal place first.
Headphones and earphones
Although it is not specifically illegal to wear headphones while driving in the UK, they can reduce a driver's awareness of important sounds such as emergency vehicle sirens, horns and other traffic noise.
Research suggests that reducing access to external sounds can:
- Increase reaction times
- Affect speed perception
- Reduce awareness of hazards
- Make emergency situations harder to recognise and respond to safely
For these reasons, RoSPA does not recommend using headphones or other audio equipment that reduces a road user's ability to hear surrounding traffic.
Satellite navigation (sat nav) devices
Used correctly, sat nav devices can improve safety by helping drivers plan routes and avoid last-minute manoeuvres. However, they can also create visual, manual and cognitive distractions if used incorrectly.
Using a sat nav safely
- Plan routes before starting your journey.
- Enter destinations before moving off.
- Position devices so they do not obstruct your view.
- Use voice guidance where possible.
- Never reprogramme a route while driving or waiting in traffic.
- Continue making your own observations and decisions rather than relying solely on the device.
Infotainment Systems
Modern infotainment systems combine navigation, communications and entertainment functions through touchscreens, voice controls and smartphone integration. While convenient, these systems can be distracting.
Research has found that interacting with infotainment systems can affect:
- Lane position
- Following distance
- Hazard perception
- Reaction times
Voice controls tend to be less distracting than touchscreen inputs, but neither is risk-free. Tasks such as entering navigation destinations or interacting with music and messaging functions can take a driver's attention away from the road for extended periods.
Reduce the risk
- Set destinations, music and preferences before driving.
- Use voice controls where available.
- Avoid complex interactions while the vehicle is moving.
- Pull over safely before making changes to routes or settings.
Tips for avoiding distraction
You cannot eliminate every distraction, but you can reduce your risk by:
- Planning journeys in advance.
- Setting up navigation and audio before departure.
- Putting mobile devices out of reach.
- Avoiding tasks such as eating, searching for items or adjusting settings while driving.
- Staying focused on the driving task.
- Pulling over safely if something requires your attention.
- Taking refresher or advanced driver training to improve hazard perception and concentration skills.