14.04.2023
You are four times as likely to be involved in a crash if you use a mobile phone whilst driving- quite the statistic. Your reaction times are slower than if you were to drink and drive. This isn’t a plea to drink and drive- don’t do either.
If you are caught using a mobile phone whilst driving, you will face a fixed penalty notice of £200 or a fine of up to £1,000 and 6 penalty points on your licence.
Now although we have to say it, you will know all of that already. If you don’t, please get off the road.
However, it isn’t just mobile phones which can be a distraction whilst you are driving.
Even if you have an inbuilt sat nav, you should always set your destination before you set off as setting it on the move will distract you. This applies for other dials and switches within the car- whether you’re changing the temperature or the radio station- your focus is being split.
You should also stop if you need to eat something. Although there are a million different drive-thru locations, including a drive-thru Indian takeaway now, take a break and eat when you are stationary as the delicious sustenance will take your concentration away from the road.
There are quite a few health risks associated with smoking and these extend to the road. Smoking a cigarette means one of your hands will be taken off the steering wheel and falling ash could take your attention away from the road. More recently we have seen vaping in cars and the clouds that some vapes create can impair your vision momentarily- as well as having a hand off the steering wheel. Both smoking and vaping can leave residue on the windows of your car so if you are going to smoke or vape in the car then make sure you clean your windows regularly.
They say you should never work with animals or small children due to them being unpredictable. If you can, leave the kids and the animals at home and never drive with them. They will either need feeding or the toilet, attention or all three at once. These are all things you cannot help them with whilst you are driving. If you do insist on taking the kids or the dogs in the car then make sure you make regular stops to keep them amused and their basic needs are serviced.
The final thing to be aware of is being distracted by other things on the road. If you see a freshly baked loaf in a bakery window, a quick glance is as much as you can afford as a longing stare will take your attention from the road abread… Sorry, ahead.
Let’s return to mobile phones though as they are the main culprits. The vast majority of us use our mobile phones for navigation purposes now. That’s great as they give live updates and plenty of helpful travel advice. Making sure they are held in place securely and in somewhere that doesn’t obscure your screen is very important. That’s why the Brodit ProClip is designed for each vehicle- to ensure that your device can be held in a suitable and secure location on your dashboard.
The Brodit ProClip clips into the dashboard and allows a phone holder to attach to it. It also means no damage to your dashboard. You can use the Brodit Smart Search tool to find the ProClip for your dashboard and the phone holder for your phone.
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