What are Cognitive Distractions While Driving?

14 Jan 2019

No matter how great a driver you are, whether your drive as a profession or personally, at some point you will experience a moment of “mental checking out” — meaning you’ll no longer be fully focusing on your driving.

In moments like these, drivers aren’t fully aware of their surroundings. They can easily miss that debris in the road or that oncoming car, leading to a crash and injuries or worse, death. Experts refer to this “mental checking out” as a cognitive distraction.

Mental or cognitive distraction is where you’re driving, but your mind is not focused on driving. You could be talking to another passenger or daydreaming which puts you at risk. Even listening to the radio can put you at risk since the audio can take your focus away from your overall surroundings and your driving.

Some common cognitive distractions while driving may include:

Thinking about something that’s upsetting
Daydreaming
Talking to another passenger
Road rage
Being under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs

Even drowsy driving may also be considered a type of cognitive distraction; however, it’s usually regarded as its own issue.

Cognitive distractions might not seem as risky as actually taking your hands off the wheel or eyes off the road. But, the National Safety Council (NSC) did some research that showed cognitively distracted drivers are at risk for a variety of performance issues.

The NSC review more than 30 studies involving cognitively distracted drivers to reach this conclusion. While these studies focused on individuals who were using hands-free or hand-held cell phones, it’s likely these findings apply to those engaged in other mentally distracting tasks. These studies showed these drivers demonstrated the following serious impairments:

Blindness to their surroundings: According to researchers, around 50 percent of the information in the immediate environment of a cognitively distracted driver, including traffic control devices and other vehicles, goes unnoticed.
Slow reaction times: One study showed even legally drunk drivers, in terms of response times, out-performed cognitively distracted drivers.
Reduced activity in certain areas of the brain normally active while driving: For example, the areas of the brain overseeing navigation, spatial processing and visual information processing show less activity when drivers listen to language.

The drivers may not even realize how long these adverse effects last.

While drivers may legally engage in various types of cognitive distraction, like using voice-activated technology and talking on hands-free cell phones, it could still result in cognitive distractions. If you’re a fleet manager, consider discussing the potential of cognitive distractions with your drivers. In addition, utilizing a GPS fleet tracking can help alert you to other driving hazards, like speeding, aggressive driving and hard braking.

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About George Karonis

George Karonis is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of LiveViewGPS Inc., a company he established in 2008 with the vision of making real-time GPS tracking more reliable, affordable, and accessible for businesses of all sizes. Over the past two decades, he has built a reputation as an innovator in GPS tracking, fleet management, asset monitoring, and Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PTToC) communications. Under George's leadership, LiveViewGPS has grown into a nationally recognized provider of GPS tracking solutions, serving businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, law enforcement organizations, and public works departments throughout the United States. The company's technology helps organizations improve operational efficiency, protect valuable assets, increase driver safety, and reduce operating costs through real-time location intelligence. Before founding LiveViewGPS, George developed a background in security, surveillance, and emerging location technologies. His passion for innovation and practical problem solving has driven the development of products that combine dependable hardware with easy-to-use cloud software, giving customers actionable information when it matters most. In 2018, George expanded into nationwide Push-to-Talk over Cellular communications by launching PeakPTT, providing businesses with rugged, instant communication solutions that operate over LTE and Wi-Fi networks. His focus has remained the same throughout his career: delivering dependable technology backed by exceptional customer service and long-term customer relationships. George regularly writes about GPS tracking, fleet management, asset protection, business technology, and communication systems. Through this blog, he shares industry insights, practical advice, and emerging trends to help organizations make informed decisions about tracking technology and connected operations.