Whether you’re looking to gain your drivers license, or are looking for a driving school for your teen, this is both an exciting and nerve-wracking time. Being able to drive is a monumental privilege in modern life, as it grants you an incomparable amount of freedom, but not without a large amount of driving distractions. Although, it does come with a variety of very real risks, some of which more avoidable than others.

As a driving school in Phoenix AZ, we know beginners of anything are subject to all manner of experienced people and experts telling them what they should and shouldn’t do. As a teenager, or someone learning to drive later in life, this can be frustrating as it may feel belittling. Although it is important to heed these warnings, as mistakes on the road can not only harm you, but also pedestrians, other drivers, and even animals.

Here’s a look at why new drivers should avoid eating, drinking, and even smoking when they’re starting out behind the wheel.

Driving Distractions: Eating and Driving

While there aren’t ad campaigns telling us about the dangers of eating and driving, it does make sense to most people as it is a form of distraction. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have stated that eating or drinking while driving increases the risk of getting in an accident by 80%. This doesn’t even account for the fact that new drivers don’t have the same reflexes, and are more prone to either freezing up or overreacting when problems arise.

The dangers caused by eating while driving boil down to a few simple considerations.

Looking Away and Reaching

If you’re eating some sort of snack food like potato chips, then you will need to repeatedly reach out to the bag to grab the next handful. While driving, this can take your spatial awareness away from the road and into the vehicle, reducing your focus on the space outside the car. It’s also while reaching that you may knock the steering wheel, gear stick, or even accidentally push the brake or accelerator pedal.

Spilling Hot Food

If you’re eating and driving, then chances are you’re running late for something and may have grabbed some fast food to quickly satiate your hunger. This provides another risk of potentially spilling that hot food on yourself, causing burns or a potentially dangerous physical reaction. Even spilling cold food can be distracting while driving, especially in someone else’s car, which is often what new drivers will be using to practice.

At our driving school in Phoenix AZ, we advise that instead of risking your life and the lives of others by eating and driving, it will always be wiser to eat beforehand. Not only will this remove the risk, but it will also ensure you have the energy and cognitive function to drive safely and respond appropriately to danger.

Driving Distractions: Drinking and Driving

There are countless campaigns telling us not to “drink and drive”, although the implication is in the consumption of alcohol prior to driving. As a new driver you should never drink any alcohol before driving, and especially not while driving as this increases the risk of harm. Although drinks don’t need to be alcoholic to provide a risk to your ability to drive, as the above two points about looking away and spilling can be applied here too.

One other danger is in the putting of bottles or cups back in the cup holders, as if you’re not accustomed to the car you may not know exactly where the holders are without looking. This can cause a distracting spill which can then take your attention off the road.

As with food, it’s best to drink plenty of liquid before driving, and if you’re desperately thirsty you may consider pulling off the road and drinking. Again, as with hunger, dehydration can impair your cognitive function, so do make sure to stay hydrated especially when driving long distances or in the sun.

Driving Distractions: Smoking and Driving

While it may not seem as common, it still does seem relevant to point out that smoking and vaping pose plenty of risk to new driver’s attention spans. This is partially because it will take one of your hands off the wheel or gear stick for a duration of time, but also there are other serious risks due to the smoke or mist clouds, and of course the burning tip of a cigarette.

Smoke or Mist Clouds

When we think of ninjas, most people will think of the use of smoke bombs to hide themselves. This is because smoke is excellent at impairing our vision, which is why smoking or vaping while driving can be dangerous. The air flow of your vehicle further increases the danger by making the smoke or mist move erratically around your vehicle, and can burn the eyes to the point of needing to close them entirely, which is generally a big no-no while driving.

Fire Hazard

The burning tip of the cigarette can provide its own dangers even when the smoker is stationary, as seen in the multiple fires caused by lit cigarettes each year. If you accidentally knock off the burning tip while driving you could burn yourself which will be massively distracting while driving, otherwise you may start a small fire in your car which will be equally distracting.

As with eating and drinking, one should smoke or vape beforehand, or pull over to do so safely.

Automobile Crash Data for 2020

The 2020 crash data report from the NHTSA examines how people crashed and if there were any fatalities in 2020 in comparison to 2019 data. These are real reports that actually highlight why people died while driving.

• Estimated number of police-reported crashes in 2020 decreased by 22%
• Fatalities in speeding-related crashes up 17%
• Fatalities in alcohol-impaired driving crashes up 14%
• Unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant fatalities up 14%
• Motorcyclist fatalities up 11% (highest number since first data collection in 1975)
• Bicyclist fatalities up 9.2% (highest number since 1987)
• Passenger car occupant fatalities up 9%
• Fatalities in urban areas up 8.5%
• Pedestrian fatalities up 3.9% (highest number since 1989)
• Fatalities in hit-and-run crashes up 26%
• Fatalities in large-truck crashes down 1.3%

Learn from the Best Driving School in Phoenix AZ

Having run a driving school in Phoenix AZ for some time now, we’ve helped countless teenagers and adults become confident drivers. While we have plenty of good tips on our blog, the best lessons come from our professional driving teachers who are excited to help you or your teen become confident and safe drivers.