Have you ever caught yourself multi-tasking while driving? If you’re a driver in Australia, your answer is probably ‘yes’. On average, Aussie drivers engage in a secondary task while driving once every 96 seconds.¹

Distractions while driving increase the chances of being involved in a crash.²

Driving distracted can, among other things:

• reduce reaction time
• cause you to miss seeing pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists
• mean you miss traffic light changes, and
• result in you not seeing traffic slowing in front of you, which increases the risk of nose to tail crashes.³

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve had your licence – all drivers are at risk of being distracted on the road.

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Different types of distractions

There are four types of distractions that commonly affect drivers — and they can overlap!

For example, your phone can distract you in more than one way at a time.

Visual

Visual distraction happens when the driver changes their focus from the road to another object for an extended period. When you're behind the wheel, even a split second can lead to serious consequences.

Some examples include:

• looking at your in-car GPS or phone screen
• turning to check on passengers, or
• staring at a billboard ad instead of keeping your eyes on the road.

Auditory

This happens when a driver changes focus from the sounds of the traffic to other sounds, such as:

• music playing in the vehicle speakers
• phone notifications or alerts
• sounds coming from headphones, and
• passengers talking loudly or arguing, diverting attention from driving sounds.

Physical

Physical distraction occurs when a driver takes one or both hands off the steering wheel to reach for an item, such as a water bottle or mobile phone.

This affects their ability to perform tasks necessary to driving safely, such as steering or changing gears.

Other physical distractions are things like:

• adjusting vehicle controls, such as the radio, air conditioning or navigation system,
  and
• eating or drinking, which requires using your hands and taking your eyes off the
  road.

Cognitive

Cognitive distractions are thoughts that absorb the driver’s attention to the point they can’t drive safely on the road.

Talking on the phone while driving is the most documented form of cognitive distraction⁴, but it’s not the only one. It can also happen when the driver is:

• talking to other passengers in the car
• driving when extremely tired
• daydreaming or lost in thought, or
• operating navigation devices.

The most common distractions while driving and how to beat them

1. Eating or drinking

Eating while driving may be legal, but you can still receive fines and demerit points if police find that your control of the car was compromised, even if you don’t crash.

Even easy-to-reach snacks like chips can reduce your grip on the steering wheel, because they leave grease on your fingers.

How to beat it:

• Stop for a break if you need to eat or drink.

2. Changing the music or radio station

Many drivers change radio stations without a second thought. But shifting your eyes away from the road – even for a split second – increases your chances of an accident.

How to beat it:

• Make a playlist before driving. If you prefer something already set up, some audio streaming apps offer playlists for every occasion, from family road trips to the classics.

3. Looking away to use your GPS

We’d be lost without our GPS systems. But we need to make sure we’re using them safely on the road.

How to beat it:

• Mount your phone on the dashboard at eye level.
• Set up your GPS route before you start driving.
• Pull over to readjust your route.

4. Looking at pedestrians

Distracted driving isn’t limited to tech use! Drivers can also be distracted by pedestrians while driving.

How to beat it:

• Keep your eyes on the road, no matter how seasoned a driver you are.

5. Talking on the phone

Even a momentary distraction – like glancing at your phone to see who’s calling you – can be life-threatening. Yet many of us are guilty of using our mobile phones while driving.

Not only is it a distraction, but you could also risk a fine and demerit points.

How to beat it:

• Set your phone to ‘’do not disturb’’ or switch on aeroplane mode.
• Put your phone away in your glove box or leave it in your bag.
• If you must pick up a call, use hands-free. However, it’s still best to avoid talking on the phone while driving because you risk cognitive distraction even if your hands are on the wheel.
• Don’t text and drive – even using the voice command can be a distraction. It’s common for our phones to mishear us and type or send messages incorrectly.

6. Breaking up kids’ fights in the back seat

Kids can cause a lot of chaos in the car, especially on long road trips. It may be worthwhile to prep some child-friendly entertainment for those long journeys.

How to beat it:

• When planning your route, be sure to include stops along the way.
• Look for audiobooks and podcasts to entertain the kids for hours in audio streaming apps.
• Try some road trip games.
• Keep an activity bag in the car that includes games, colouring books, crayons, origami kits, puzzles, and more.

7. Tending to a pet

Many Aussies drive with their pets unrestrained in the backseat. But your animal friend poses a massive risk if it blocks your view or jumps around in the car.

How to beat it:

• Restrain your pet.

8. Grooming or fixing your hair

You may think shaving, fixing your hair, or applying lipstick in traffic is no big deal. But these distractions significantly reduce your reaction time on the road.

How to beat it:

• Do your makeup, hair, or other grooming before leaving the house or after reaching your destination.

Don’t forget car insurance

Even if we take all the precautions in the world, we can’t guarantee we won’t run into trouble on the road. Accidents are sometimes out of our control, and it’s essential to prepare for the worst. AAMI Comprehensive Car Insurance can cover accidental loss or damage to your car caused by an insured event. We may also cover you or anyone you authorise to drive your vehicle for legal liability to pay compensation for loss or damage to another person’s car or property.

You can also choose AAMI Third Party Property Damage to cover you for:

• damage to other people’s car or property, and
• damage caused by a collision with an uninsured driver.

With Third Party Property Damage cover you can also add an optional cover for Fire and Theft. All covers have limits and exclusions, so be sure to read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for all the details.

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Why choose AAMI Comprehensive Car Insurance?

When you choose AAMI Comprehensive Car Insurance, you may be entitled to additional covers that comes with your policy. This includes a hire car after a not-at-fault incident or a car after theft for up to 21 days. Limits and exclusions apply. Please read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for full details.

Add on optional cover

AAMI Comprehensive Car Insurance has optional covers you can add to your policy for an additional premium. Consider taking out Roadside Assist for 24-hour roadside assistance Australia-wide. Keep in mind, Roadside Assist is only available with an AAMI Comprehensive Car Insurance policy. Conditions and exclusions apply. *

You can also add windscreen and window glass cover or hire car after an event for unlimited days. Learn more about optional cover details by reading the PDS.

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