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Driver Distraction and its effect on Safety

25th January 2018 by Mark Lanario

Driver Distraction

There is always something in the press about the effect of driver distraction and its effect on safety.

This is mainly due to the use of mobile phones in vehicles, and new in vehicle text reading devices.

However, increasingly scientific research is revealing the dangers of other forms driver multi-tasking that are associated with increased in-vehicle technology.

 

This article covers:

  • What is Driver Distraction?
  • Types of Distraction
  • The Effects of Distraction
  • The Law
  • Managing Distractions
  • The New Driving Test

 

What Is Driver Distraction?

A driver is said to be distracted, if he or she attempts to concentrate on a second activity whilst driving.

People can, and do multi-task, after all, driving involves this to some degree.

However, there will always become a point, when this will become dangerous, whilst at the wheel of a motor vehicle. The point where distraction becomes dangerous depends on of the capabilities of the individual, and the type, types, or combination of distractions, combined with the prevailing road and traffic conditions.

Distraction can be either driver initiated, where the driver starts carrying out a secondary activity or non-driver initiated, such as a loud noise from a low flying helicopter outside of the vehicle

Types of Driver Distraction

There are four basic types of driver distraction:

  • Auditory
  • Biomechanical
  • Visual
  • Cognitive

Visual distraction occurs when a driver sees objects or events. Such things as keys that light up on a cell phone, texts coming through and reading a Sat Nav screen are examples and these can prevent the driver from processing information related to driving.

At least one motor manufacturer is advertising a heads up in-car text reading display, as a sales feature, an idea that one senior Traffic Police Officer that we spoke to in Kent thought was “a ridiculously irresponsible device”.

Biomechanical distraction can occur, when a driver is involved in a physical task, such as holding a tuning a radio, or holding cell phone.

An auditory distraction is a sound which prevents a driver from focusing on the driving task. Loud bang, outside of the vehicle, loud music inside, trying to hear someone talking on a mobile phone are all examples.

A Cognitive distraction occurs when a driver is thinking about something, unrelated to driving the vehicle. This form of distraction is particularly dangerous, as it has been proven that those found in a state of cognitive impairment, tend to fixate (stare), and start to develop a form of tunnel vision…highly dangerous.

 

The Effect of Distraction

Some activities, can create a distraction, which incorporates some or all of the above; potentially a critical storm. Using a hand-held mobile phone, is one such example.

The biomechanical is the act of holding the device, visual, perhaps dialling the number, auditory, trying to hear, in a poor reception area, and the cognitive, which could be thinking about the next big sale, involving maths etc. Mobile phones on hand free are still very distracting, as cognitive, and auditory, will still combine, in varying degrees.

The effect of a distraction is to prevent the driver from giving full attention to risk managing the driving task.

Drivers that are cognitively distracted, tend to lose situational awareness, concentrating straight ahead, thus losing vital information from the back, and sides of the vehicle. As such, hazards are detected much later than they otherwise would have been, if the driver had not been distracted.

The Law

Section 149 of the Highway Code states:

You must exercise proper control of your vehicle at all times.

This is a bit of a catch all really. Distracted drivers could be reported for a range of different offences, anything from Inconsiderate, to Dangerous driving.

In the case of an employers, when a driver is driving for work, whether in a company or own vehicle, the H.S.E. expects the employers to “ensure the health and safety of an employee, as far as reasonably practicable”, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

So, having a policy allowing use of mobile telecommunications equipment in a vehicle, on a hand free basis, could land an employer in hot water, should an employee be injured, or injure anyone else, whilst being distracted, using hands free mobile communication equipment.

Using information provided by mobile phone companies’ cells, it is also quite easy for the authorities, to prove the use of the mobile communications equipment, and potentially lie that use to a particular situation, involving an accident, as a result of driver distraction.

Managing Distraction

Distraction is always going to be a difficult risk to manage. As always, it is a risk management exercise.

Think: Risk (probability and consequences)

Some distracting activities, are carried out without a second thought, and 9 times out of ten, have no consequences. Then, one day, the highway has its revenge.

The new Driving Test, Dec 2017

The DVSA introduced a new practical Driving Test on 4th December 2017.

There are a number of changes, including a 20-minute independent drive, following directions given by a Sat Nav.

The test is designed to be more reflective of real life situations, including the multi -tasking and possibly distracting effects of dealing with directions given by a Sat Nav. The Driving Test candidate also has to show the examiner that he or she can operate an ancillary control on the move and manage the cognitive and bio mechanical distraction.

As of this date, we have heard of a number of Driving Test failures, due to a candidate losing a degree  of control, whilst answering and performing the ” show me” question on the move.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: 20-minute independent drive, driver distraction, new driving test, The Driving Test

Driving Test

7th December 2017 by Mark Lanario

driving test

On the 4thDecember the UK Driving Test underwent the most significant changes since the theory test was introduced in 1996.

The UK practical Driving Test has been updated to “make sure new drivers have the skills they need to help them through a lifetime of safe driving”.

Independent Driving section of the test.

This part has doubled in duration and now occupies 50% of the allocated time for a Driving Test, that being 40 minutes.

The DVSA is keen to make the UK Driving Test is as reflective of real life driving practices as possible, so is embracing the technology that drivers use when on the road.

So, for the Independent Driving section of the test, 4 out of 5 candidates will follow directions given by a Sat Nav devise for 20 minutes.

The object here, appears to be aimed at assessing if a candidate can manage the distraction that such a devise can cause and whether the instructions from the devise can be followed safely.

We have all heard stories of drivers following instructions given by Sat Nav’s into rivers……or worse!

Thinking about safety, more focus on forward driving must be a good thing, as, if you think about it, slow speed manoeuvres are much less likely to kill anyone.

new driving test

DVSA has updated the manoeuvres section of the test as well.

Reversing around a corner and the turn in the road (three- point turn) have been removed and replaced by manoeuvres that are more representative of those commonly used by drivers.

However, DVSA has said at a briefing, that instructors should still teach the old manoeuvres, particularly the turn in the road, just in case when out on test they get stuck and the candidate needs to turn the car around in the road.

Surely then the TIR is representative of real life driving?

The new manoeuvres that have been introduced are:

  • drive into a parking bay on the left or right and reverse out to the left or right
  • pull up on the right-hand side of the road. Reverse back 2 car lengths and re-join traffic

Ensuring that a driver can park in a car parking bay is of course very important and the new manoeuvre has been well received by the driving industry.

The UK has many drivers that have a “parking phobia”, which means that often they will change their plans if a car park is very full and there aren’t lots of bays that are unoccupied.

Pulling up on the right -hand side of the road, facing against the traffic flow has been less well received by the industry, including DVSA’s own Driving Test examiners!

The reason is that in the Highway Code, it states “do not park facing against the traffic flow”.

This advice is in the code for a reason, so by introducing this manoeuvre, the DVSA has scored a bit of an own goal.

DVSA co- produces the Highway Code in association with the Ministry of Transport!!

There is also a change to the “show me questions” asked by the examiner. These will now be done on the move, so it’s move representative of real life riving.

The candidate will be asked to operate an ancillary, like a windscreen wiper etc. This of course is all about testing the ability to multi task.

Let’s hope that the new Driving Test leads to a reduction in the figures for those killed or seriously injured and make the roads safer for all users.

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: drive into a parking bay, driving test, DVSA, highway code, Independent Driving, new driving test

New Driving Test Mess?

21st November 2017 by Mark Lanario

driving test mess

 

Well, painful experience has taught most of us that leaving a Government Department to run anything is bound to end in a mess and the DVSA’s new Driving Test Mess is no exception.

Unfortunately for tax payers, an expensive mess.

On 4th December 2017, DVSA are introducing their new baby; a shiny new Driving Test.

Unfortunately, the shine is already fading and its not even been launched yet!

As part of the Driving Test, some of the old reversing manoeuvres have been dropped.

So, no more reversing around a corner or turn in the road ( 3 point turn).

One new manoeuvre that DVSA has introduced is very controversial amongst Driving Instructors, but now even their own examiners are kicking off!!!

Examiners are going to strike, citing Health and Safety issues with the new test.

This new manoeuvre involves pulling up on the right hand side of the road; yes that’s right, and then reversing back a couple of car lengths, after which the candidate re-joins traffic.

Now, as Drivers some of us do this, however we avoid it most of the time because it can put us in a vulnerable position in the road.

The Highway Code, Rule 239 states, ” do not park facing against the traffic flow”.

It does not state that” you must not”, so not illegal per ‘se.

However, the Highway Code is prepared by the Department for Transport and the DVSA, so DVSA is introducing a manoeuvre that breaks its own code.

DVSA, Driving test mess……oh yes!

The DVSA has stated that in trials, the manoeuvre is ” low risk”, however should any Government Department be allowed to introduce anything that contravenes its own code or code of another Government Department??

Particularly when the codes relates to safety.

Now, I know that people working in Local Authority and Government Departments can sometimes be accused of being a little ” jobs worth” and over the top with Heath and Safety, but the Driving Instructor fraternity is with them on this one.

Solidarity brothers !

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: driving instructors, driving test, DVSA, highway code, new driving test

Driving Test Key Changes from December 2017: Independent Driving

1st September 2017 by Mark Lanario

Driving Test Key Changes from December 2017 Independent Driving

 

The Driving test is changing from 4th December 2017.

All learners taking a driving test in a car from that date, weather they have failed one before, or had their test cancelled, will be examined using the new format.

There are some Driving Instructors that train pupils to pass a test at a particular test centre, rather than to be able to drive safety anywhere. An example would be Sevenoaks test centre, where a pupil is not asked to perform a bay park and often not trained to perform one.

Such learners are going to need a good few hours of additional training, if they fail a test just prior to the introduction of the new DVSA Driving Test.

Driving Test key changes Dec 2017:

Independent driving will increase to 20 minutes

Under the current regime, this section lasts for 10 minutes. When first introduced, there was a hue and cry about how difficult this would make the UK test. At present candidates are either asked to ” follow the signs to” or the examiner draws a little map, which is a bit pointless really.

There is a bit of a misconception about this part of the test, re going the wrong way. If a candidate goes the wrong way correctly, that is using the correct mirror, signal, manoeuvre routine and is in the right place in the road, at the right speed, no laws are broken……then all is well. The examiner will simply get the candidate back on track and no fault is recorded.

When the new Driving Test is introduced, 4 out of 5 candidates will have to follow directions given by a Sat Nav device.

The pupil does not have to operate the devise in anyway, the examiner pre-programmes the route for the candidate…….so don’t worry.

In addition, if a candidate is unsure of what the Sat Nav is asking them to do, they can ask the Examiner to clarify.

Notice that we said, what the Sat Nat is asking them to do, that’s because the candidate is still expected to drive safety and override ” orders” being given by the Sat Nav where necessary.

We have all heard the stories of motorist’s driving off of cliffs, whilst following instructions given by such devises !!

Just as under the old test rules, if the candidate goes the wrong way, using correct road procedure and does not make a fault……….no problem. The Examiner will simply get the candidate back on track.

Sat Nav’s are not perfect and sometimes go wrong. This is not a problem, the DVSA Examiner will deal with the situation appropriately.

We have a video for you to watch which covers all of the key changes, click here to view

 

Enjoy

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: driving instructors, driving test, driving test changes, Driving Test Key Changes from December 2017 Independent Driving, DVSA, new driving test

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