Driving School - Top 5 Distractions For a Learner Driver

Not long out of driving school, you're driving along without a care in the world and you notice a big sign advertising the latest blockbuster movie.

You grab your mobile phone and start to call your friend to organise seeing it later that evening. Chatting away on the phone, you lose track of what you're doing and before you know it, you slam right up the back of another car. All this occurred within a matter of seconds.

This story is typical of many accidents involving learner drivers.

It's important to maintain your focus while behind the wheel, a momentary lapse in concentration is a common cause to many car crashes and today's learner drivers have even more distractions to contend with on our Australian roads.

So what are some of the common distractions you may face as a novice driver? Let's take a look at the top 5.

• Mobile phones - Talking on a mobile phone while driving increases your risk of a car accident. It's no surprise, that text messaging while driving is more dangerous. If you can't turn your mobile off while driving, the best solution is to pull over or ignore any calls until you arrive at your destination.

• Adjusting mirrors - It may not seem like a bad habit, but adjusting your mirrors while driving can contribute to a car accident. You sure always ensure that the mirrors are set correctly before starting your trip. This goes double for fiddling with the car radio, electronic windows and Cd's.

• Passengers - For a learner driver, having occupants while driving can contribute to an accident. Australian studies have shown this is especially true for young male drivers who have 2 or more passengers traveling with them. Try to limit taking passengers and if you must, have a family member travel with you or older brother or sister.

• Eating - Heading to the drive through for some fast food is an every day thing for many people while driving. Try eating inside the restaurant or waiting until you're back at home or the office to eat your meal. A spilled drink is all it takes for you to lose control of your vehicle and be involved in an accident.

• Distractions outside the car - It's comes as no surprise that one of the biggest distractions for drivers occur outside of their car. You're constantly bombarded by billboards, shops and then you have to contend with pedestrians and other drivers. Learn to expect the unexpected and you will be much safer on our roads for it.

As you can see, there are countless distractions for you to deal with as a learner driver, and attending driving school is one of the best ways to learn strategies to deal with them on our Australian roads. Speak to your driving instructor about other distractions that could take your attention off the road.