Food and drinks

While driving, the driver may get thirsty or hungry, which is natural.

How the driver drinks or eats, however, is what matters.

Lifting the hand from the wheel to eat or lifting the head to take a sip of water can cause the driver to look away from the road. Looking away for even a fraction of a second can result in an accident.

If the driver wants to eat or drink, safely stop on a safe part of the road and drink (not alcohol).

The driver can face fines if caught.

Makeup

For many drivers, especially workers or students, there will be instances where the driver may be late to a destination. It may call for improvisation, so the driver may want to apply makeup in the vehicle.

The driver must not do this while driving.

If the driver ever has to groom themselves or apply makeup, ensure the vehicle is stopped; only then can the driver do so.

Other passengers

Other occupants in the vehicle, especially children, may tend to distract the driver from the road.

It is essential to realize the responsibility there is as a driver.

The driver should only communicate with a passenger; they must do this non-disruptively while the vehicle has come to a stop.

Do not turn to look at children in the back seats; this will cause the driver to redirect the eyes from the road and become distracted, which will quickly turn into an accident.

Pets

Similar to other passengers, make sure the dog is well tended to and in a comfortable position before driving off.

The driver should not tend to pets while driving on the road as this will cause the driver to take the eyes and hands off the wheel and road, which is dangerous.

Insects

Insects, rodents, and pests inside the vehicle may cause panic and distraction.

If spotted, safely stop as soon as possible and try to get rid of them before continuing.

Music

Music can help keep the driver calm and collected, but it is still limited.

Music can distract the driver from their responsibilities.

Also, listening to music at loud volumes can distract road users and drivers from other vehicles. The music will keep the driver from hearing the cars approaching them, which can be dangerous.

Climate control

Taking the eyes off the road to adjust climate control settings is a bad idea.

Suppose the driver wants to change any vehicle settings. In that case, the driver must stop to ensure the driver is not distracted from the road. It applies to any vehicle-related controls, including comfort-based controls and non-essential controls.

Mobile devices

The most significant contributor to distractions is likely mobile devices because they attract attention.

It would be safest if the driver did not fall for this when driving.

If the driver must pick up a call, use the hands-free mode. The driver can use a headset or connect it to the vehicle. However, this is not ideal as it will briefly distract the driver.

Utilizing a handheld device while driving is unlawful, and the driver can be fined or have their Licence revoked when caught.

The best way to manage mobile devices when driving is by:

• Putting it on silent or do not disturb mode
• Let calls go to voice mail
• Use auto-reply features
• Let a passenger pick up the call
• Come to a safe stop and attend to the call