Most of you will experience some type of distraction when you’re driving, whether it be your phone is ringing or you’re talking to a passenger.

However, any time not spent fully concentrating on driving poses a risk to yourself and other road users. Have you been preoccupied with something else while behind the wheel? Some examples of distractions include:

• Answering a call or replying to a text
• Eating or drinking
• Grooming (e.g. Fixing make-up/hair or having a shave)
• Adjusting car settings (e.g. Volume of radio)
• Trying to get rid of bugs in the car
• Leaning over to pick something up

So are you guilty of one or maybe a few of the examples above? Well, it’s essential to try to eliminate as many of them as you can. Research shows that 56% of car casualties are reported by police as caused by “in car distractions” [Source]. So trying to eat your breakfast during your morning rush hour drive really isn’t worth it!

Some little tips to follow to guarantee that you are an attentive driver are:

• Ensure you set your car up properly before setting off. Make sure all mirrors are correctly positioned and lights and/or heating is on if needed.
• If you need to answer a call desperately, pull over in a safe and appropriate place to take it.
• Eat and drink before setting off on your journey or wait until you are safely parked.

Basically, if you need to do something that will cause your eyes to be diverted from the road, stop somewhere safe and sort out the problem.

• Be safe this winter and book one of Stanley Travel’s taxi services. Find out more via stanley-travel.com/taxis or call 01207 230 000 (Stanley), 01207 591 000 (Consett), 0191 306 0606 (Durham).