New driver training module highlights the dangers of distractions
Every year, hundreds of thousands of accidents occur on UK roads, with approximately 25,000 people killed or suffering serious injuries in road accidents annually. One major cause of these accidents is distracted driving, and about 2,500 accidents each year are caused by distractions inside the vehicle. The most common cause of distracted driving is the driver using a mobile phone. However, other causes of distraction include reading printed materials, fiddling with the sat nav or in-car infotainment system, eating and drinking, or even smoking and vaping.
While few of these activities are specifically against the law, drivers can be prosecuted if it can be proven that they were distracted while driving. In addition to mobile phone legislation, the police can bring a prosecution for an incident involving a distracted driver under a wide range of legislation depending on the degree of distraction and the severity of the result.
“If a driver has their eyes off the road for just 6 seconds at 30 mph, the vehicle will have travelled over 80 metres, which is why it is so important to remain focused, on the road, rather than anything else.
“Texting and using mobile phones are, obviously, the most talked-about distractions, however eating and drinking, reaching for objects on the passenger seat or in the glove compartment, resetting the Satnav, finding a new radio channel, lighting a cigarette and even ‘overzealous’ singing can cause drivers to stop paying attention or look away.”
Jonathan Mosley, sales and marketing director at E-Training World
The new training module uses high-definition in-vehicle and roadside footage to genuinely replicate the on-road experience. It highlights the wide range of driver distractions, raising awareness of their dangers and training drivers in how to avoid them.
“Driving requires 100 per cent concentration. By helping drivers understand the many ways they can be distracted, from eating a sandwich to looking at a crash, arguing with a fellow passenger, reading a note or sorting out their sat nav and the potential consequences of those distractions, we can boost driver awareness and help to reduce the risk of accidents, collisions and injuries.”
E-Training World is a two-time winner of the Business Car Techies ‘Best Risk Management’ Award and a company that pioneered online driver profiling and training. As well as serving some of the largest fleet operators in the UK, they provide branded/white-labelled systems to many of the best-known companies in the fleet sector. These include insurance companies, fleet management specialists, accident management providers, driver training businesses, vehicle rental specialists and other fleet sector suppliers.
