NARRATOR: Have you ever been in a car and felt like the driver's mind wasn't completely on

the road. Driving is complex and we need to work hard to avoid distractions. Some
distractions take your mind off the road, others take your eyes off the road. Or you can be
physically distracted, such as taking your hands off the wheel to grab something.

All forms of distraction increase your risk of being involved in a crash. And it's not just
because you take your eyes off the road or hands off the steering wheel, you're also thinking
about something else and this can affect your concentration, emotions, reaction time, and
decision making. There is the lingering distraction, sometimes up to 20 to 30 seconds after
engaging with the phone, including using voice activation functions. This can easily lead to
you not seeing the lights change, not maintaining your speed, drifting from your lane and
missing other important hazards in your driving environment, increasing your crash risk.
You'll need to manage distractions when you are driving. Putting your phone on silent or
putting it in the glove box is the best idea.

But mobile phones aren't the only distraction you'll need to manage. You are going to need a
safe and quiet environment in the car when you are learning to drive. One with no
distractions. When you first learn to drive, it should just be you and your supervising driver.
They'll also need to minimize distractions, that means not using their phones as well.

When you have more experience driving, you should talk to your supervisor about
introducing one or two different distractions. Something like playing the radio or following
audio directions on a GPS can be a good way to get used to having some potential
distractions while you still have the support of a supervising driver.

When you've got your licence, managing distraction becomes even more important.
Passengers can be very distracting, particularly for new and inexperienced drivers. Even the
passenger chatting away in the back seat can be distracting. That's why P1 licensed drivers
can generally only take one passenger who's aged between 16 and 22.

Regardless of your licence type, you should avoid carrying more than one passenger during
your first year as a solo driver. And if your passenger is distracting you, you can ignore them,
ask them to stop or to get out of the car. But while passengers can be distracting, they can
also be helpful to you as a driver. They can change the music, help with navigation, and take
charge of your phone so you're not tempted to ticket.

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