We often hear that we should avoid becoming distracted while driving. There are several internal and external distractions that we may not be aware of. This immediately brings to mind mobile phones, texting, and maybe even kids squabbling in the backseat. Avoiding distractions while driving and being aware of them can help you avoid accidents that might terminate your career or, worse still, end someone else’s life.
External Distractions
Distractions are anything that diverts our attention from possible threats. Distractions from the outside are simple to see. The obvious distractions from driving include music, mobile phones, horns, vehicles cutting us off, advertising, objects in the sky like aircraft or fireworks, and magnificent landscapes like the moon or mountain ranges.
“Rubberneckers” passing by an accident scene are egregiously guilty of allowing external distractions. This week in Florida, I saw an accident on the northbound side of I-95. Knowing someone might crash in front of me, I downshifted and turned on my hazard lights immediately. They did not see the crash because they were too preoccupied with attempting to view it from behind them. So, when he struck the automobile in front of him, that motorist saw an accident firsthand.
Internal Distractions
What about unnoticed internal distractions, though? One must be psychologically ready and concentrate on the duties to be safe. Do you feel rested? Do you recall a disagreement you had with your spouse the previous evening? Was last night’s spicy pasta upsetting your stomach? Are you worried that traffic will prevent you from arriving at the load in time? Are you always thinking about the rookie error you made yesterday? Distractions of this kind may seriously impair your ability to drive safely.
Fluctuating Reaction Time Causes
I was paid to participate in research to measure driver attention spans and response times in the 1990s when mobile phones started gaining popularity. I used a simulator over three days while donning eye-tracking glasses. The experiment began with a simple drive down a route while attempting to avoid other vehicles. In the second phase, we were instructed to drive while using Sony Walkman radios—the equivalent of an iPod in the 1980s and 1990s. We were handed mobile phones for the last stage to talk while driving. Back then, there were no headphones, and the phones were too small to rest on your shoulder. You needed to hold the phone with one hand and drive with the other.
The research results showed that the driver’s active involvement in listening to music or engaging in conversation while driving had an impact on response times. The driver’s age was also a contributing factor.
Most drivers’ eyes flew swiftly across the screen while driving without any other distractions, looking for any possible risks. Eye movement was somewhat reduced while listening to the radio; conversing actively required the least amount of eye movement.
Each motorist, regardless of age, took longer to respond because they were not paying attention to the road. Those talking on the phone had a higher collision rate than those listening to the radio in hazardous scenarios. When we were allowed to use such gadgets, there were fewer accidents involving radio and phone drivers.
The majority of the drivers said that they had been listening to the music on the radio for years when asked why they believed the radio had less of an impact on us. However, the driver’s attention was drawn to each phone call since they were all distinctive. The extended driving hours needed for truck drivers were not included in this research, and some argue that using a phone or radio may assist in preventing weariness. However, a motorist has to be able to concentrate on the road. Even though I often converse on the phone, I always put the conversation to an end as I exit the highway and need to concentrate on city driving, traffic signals, and turning.
Rookies Distract Themselves
A rookie may sometimes be their worst enemy when it comes to distractions. Does my fleet manager recall the mishap I had during my first week off-road? Will dispatch recall that I got lost and arrived at the client 20 minutes late? Will my employer terminate me if I get a citation for swerving?
Your risk of a future mishap will rise if you think of these things while driving. Due to such difficulties, you can have trouble sleeping, making you weary while driving, leading to even worse complications. Consider your errors, accept lessons from them, and then move on. I assure you that your dispatcher is not aware of the two-day-old reefer fueling omission. He is unaware that you have to reinsert your tarp. He is unaware of your missed turn and does not care. I am still employed by the same employer and have committed all the same foolish rookie errors that everyone else does, so I am aware of this.
My Fleet Manager said it takes me “so long to make a mistake” after working with me for approximately a year. In actuality, it doesn’t. Every day I make errors, but they are never significant enough for him to notice. I put an end to dwelling on them and criticizing myself. I questioned him about the accident I experienced my first month when I began teaching others. Tell me about it instead, he chuckled. Uh, no! Even if he did not say anything to me at the time, I did not want to bring up something that undoubtedly enraged him.
Do you understand why he did not shout and holler when I broke the front axle off the fully loaded trailer, which required moving 45,000 pounds of cargo onto another trailer? Because businesses anticipate mistakes from newcomers. They also anticipate owning up to their mistakes and drawing lessons from them. I did, and he forgot. Remember that your dispatcher will also forget, releasing all your worries.
New drivers are eager to establish themselves. They consider themselves special. Get over yourself because you are not. Not everyone has ever driven a manual gearbox before completing CDL school, including you. The corporation, the trainers, and the dispatchers do not believe you were thrown out of the womb grasping and shifting, believe it or not.
It is foolish of you to believe that you are exceptional and that they have never seen a driver as awful as you or that you should understand this material more quickly. They know more than you do at the moment. Additionally, it insults and minimizes the trainers. After all, why would you need a trainer if you were supposed to be completely fantastic from the start? They would not need us. Therefore, take it easy and listen to the trainers’ advice—even the angry ones—because it will be very beneficial.
“This is Harder Than I Ever Expected”
Trainers often hear novice drivers say this. We experienced it. Therefore, we understand how difficult it is. My current apprentice has been working on my vehicle for almost seven weeks. He is a diligent worker who strives to run swiftly and understand everything. He anticipated passing the CDL test the first time around, but he didn’t. He anticipated completing training without incident, but he didn’t. My heart ached during his third week when he repeated the iconic phrase, “This is much tougher than I imagined it would be,” while slumped over the driving wheel and worn out.
I ask him the same question my fleet manager did when I started: “Did you deliver earlier, and did you avoid hitting anything,” when he becomes disappointed. If you can confirm that, then you did a fantastic job! He will soon transition to solitary status at seven weeks following our next load. He admitted yesterday that he still knew less than he had previously believed. I sent the incorrect macro for that because I forgot this procedure. Instead of upgrading to solo, I suggest sticking as a team.
Do you understand his issue? He is unaware that he is identical to everyone else. He has to have the ability to accept his mistakes, grow from them, and go on. You will be in danger if you think about the past. Get over yourself, then. You are not the first person to drive their vehicle so hard when shifting that it seems like the transmission has just fallen out, jumped a curb, or run over a road sign. He anticipates knowing every aspect of trucking, but that is impossible. Not even the most seasoned drivers can; nobody can.
We all acquire new knowledge every day. Smart drivers accumulate knowledge from their peers. They keep the elements that work for them and eliminate the ones that don’t.
It may be frightening to fork up thousands of dollars for CDL training at a private school or quit a career to go to a company-sponsored school across the nation. That is typical. It is fair to be concerned about your ability to maneuver a 75-foot-long vehicle that performs turns and reverses in ways you have probably never seen. Yes, your anxieties are reasonable. Now that you are calm, rational, and aware that you are not alone. Do not allow your worries and anxieties to lead to an accident because you feel inferior to the novice you are.
Continue because it gets so much better, and occasionally, it is even simple. Think about it!