Driving is a nice and safe experience if only you maintain the required focus and concentration on the road. But to maintain proper focus and concentration, you will have to avoid distracted driving. Distracted driving has many consequences, like low driver performance, increased risk of collisions, higher insurance premiums, and fines or criminal penalties.

Perhaps you are a new driver without knowledge of various driving distractions and how to avoid them. Here is a detailed discussion of common distractions for drivers and some of the ways you can avoid them.

Passenger Distractions

Sometimes, you can have unruly passengers who can make it difficult for you to pay attention while on the road. Fights in the car, loud music, and noises are some of the ways unruly passengers can distract you as a driver. Conversations with the passengers can also distract your mind and make you lose focus.
One way to prevent distractions, especially from unruly passengers, is to pull over to the road's side and politely request them to exit your vehicle. Also, do not allow loud music, heavy conversations, or direct eye contact with the passengers while behind the wheel.

Controls Distractions

While vehicle controls like GPS systems, audio systems, and mirrors can enhance your safety on the road, their unnecessary adjustments can cause distractions. For example, the use of a phone to set up a GPS destination while behind the wheel can result in a disaster. The adjustment of such controls will force you to take your hands off the wheel and your eyes off the road.

One way to avoid distractions from such controls is to set and adjust them before you start any journey. Also, you shouldn't drive any newer vehicle model without being clear on how to adjust its controls.

Cell Phone Distractions

Sometimes even though you are behind the wheel, the urge to check your phone when a notification comes through can be irresistible. A reflexive response can make you automatically reach out to your phone for a text, call, or email. Unfortunately, a cell phone will cause your eyes, hands, and mind to get distracted simultaneously.

To avoid distractions from your cell phone, ensure you don't use it while behind the wheel. You can turn the cell phone silent, put it in the back of your vehicle, or have a passenger handle it as you drive. Also, you can use a self-locking app or even pull over to a rest stop to reply to a text if necessary.

Children and Pet Distractions

While it's always nice to go on a road trip with your child or pet, they may demand your attention and make it hard for you to focus on the road somewhere along the journey.

One way to avoid distractions from your child or pet is to buckle them properly before you start your trip. Also, adequate preparation of your child or pet for any road trip — taking care of snacks and potty breaks in advance — will help prevent their disturbance and give you peace of mind when on the road.

Emotions

Negative emotions like stress are key cognitive distractions that face many drivers today. Stress can not only take your mind away from the road but also make you drive more aggressively or offensively. Also, stress can sometimes make you feel dizzy, lightheaded, or drowsy while behind the wheel.

A deep breath can help calm your nerves and reduce stress while behind the wheel. You can also plan ahead, listen to some calm music, take a break, or ask someone else to drive as ways to manage stress when on the road.

The discussed distractions can make you violate traffic rules, which will likely get you compelled to attend traffic school. Nonetheless, the earlier you learn and avoid them, the better your experience on the road. So, if you want a high-quality driving school for your training, reach us out at Tricounty Driving School.

Police maintain order and safety on the road and have the right to flag you down if you violate traffic rules. While you may be anxious or worried, you must remain alert and understand what to do. Otherwise, you might break more rules or worsen the situation's outcome. Read on to understand what to do when police stop you on the road.

Traffic tickets aren't fun. A traffic ticket causes delays, costs a few hundred dollars in fines, and adds points to your license. Traffic ticket violations increase the cost of your insurance and may compel you to attend traffic school.

Knowing the most common traffic violations means knowing which behaviors to avoid when driving.

The following are a few of the most common traffic violations.

The use of phones while driving is an important learning curve for teenagers who want to drive. Texts and calls can distract and lead to missed warnings on the road. Even though phones are a no-go while a teen learns to drive, a teen can make use of their phone and develop healthy driving habits.

Check out some of the safe ways to use a phone through driver education courses. The earlier teens establish healthy driving habits, the safer they will remain on the road.

To be a competent driver, you must go through a driving school. However, since varying driving schools have varying teaching methods, you must ensure that your chosen driving school will meet your learning needs. For example, if you are a teen and want teen-friendly lessons, you can choose a driving school with a package for teens.

Below are the things you should consider when choosing a driving school.

As you go through private driving lessons, one of the more important elements is getting a proper feel for the vehicle. Every vehicle feels different whether you drive a manual shift or an automatic shift, a truck or a sedan, or a gas-powered or electric car.

If you plan on driving an electric car once you complete traffic school, you will need to get used to many differences. Learn about the differences and what to expect before you hit the open road.

Learning to drive for the first time can be an exciting experience that culminates when you get your full license. To get to that point, you'll have to meet all the requirements for your state — including passing the practical exam. Use this handy guide to make sure you've covered everything you need to, so you can take your test with confidence.

As you get older, the world around you continues to change. While it's easy to remain set in your ways, you cannot deny all of the technological advancements and everyday changes society goes through. One of the biggest changes is the world of driving. If you're 55 or older, then you most likely have not taken driving courses in many years.

 
To help older drivers get a better handle on new changes, Florida residents have the opportunity to take a mature driver course. The course itself is not mandatory, but it comes with multiple benefits for older drivers. Learn about the benefits of a mature driver course for Florida residents and how the course can improve your driving in the long run.