Driver distraction is a contributing factor in fatal and serious injury crashes. Driving needs your full attention.

Keep your mind on the task

Driving requires your complete attention.

You need to keep control of your vehicle at the same time as maintaining an awareness of your surroundings and potential hazards.

There are many causes of inattention while driving, including:

  • mobile phones
  • radios and playlists
  • information screens and GPS devices
  • food and drink
  • passengers
  • scenery

Check out the NZTA's advertisement on driver distraction.(external link)

Mobile phones

Four of the most distracting activities come from using a smartphone:

  • messaging
  • talking
  • navigating
  • playing music

This is reflected in crash statistics. Driver distraction was a contributing factor in 12 crashes, 155 serious injury crashes and 856 minor injury crashes in 2018.

See the latest NZTA distraction video on mobile phones(external link).