Autumn Driving

As the leaves turn to autumnal colours, the sun shines lower in the sky and temperatures plummet it’s also time to change our driving habits.  

With the shortening days this blog post encourages us to refocus with the seasonal switch.

Whether you find yourself driving in twilight or darkness, navigating slippery roads or shading the bright sunlight from your eyes, there is one skill that helps keep us all safe and returning home to loved ones and that one skill is sharpening your personal focus. 

More caution is required, particularly when driving on winding country lanes or approaching blind bends.  Autumn is the time to slow down and mentally question what might be around the bend, plan and act accordingly.  

Are you consciously planning the changing environment you may encounter on your regular drive?  Perhaps a change to the road surface or the falling outside temperature causing patches of frost?  In an emergency, are you certain you can stop safely?  

Before you set off on your journey take a moment to plan ahead.  Secure any loose personal belongings which may become hazardous if you brake hard in an emergency.  Discard accumulated rubbish, and consider whether you need to carry everything with you in your vehicle, or can you take time for a seasonal declutter which will aid your focus.   

As you start your journey consider whether you personally are comfortable and focused on your driving.  Feeling too hot or too cold can cause lapses of concentration which may have unforeseen consequences.  

Are you sitting comfortably?  As the seasons change, driving clothing and footwear can also change.  A previously comfortable seating position may, in the autumn and winter, be uncomfortable.  Perhaps you are now aware of more physical aches and pains which may affect your driving comfort and focus.  

As we move towards the end of British Summer Time and the clocks go back, this “extra hour” may be a welcome additional time to relax, however has a significant effect on our internal body clock.  Driving to and from work in the dark can invoke the “sleep trigger” in our brain, so refocusing on the ways we personally focus when driving can keep all road users including pedestrians and cyclists safer.  

Having valuable information at your finger-tips about how focused you are when driving can help support the continuous development of your driving skills.  

Our free app works in the background whilst you drive and provides insights into  the six key, high risk categories of driving  including acceleration, braking, cornering, distractions (including phone use), speed and time of your journey.  

You can find more information at www.toot.co or you can contact me directly to arrange an informative workshop for your fleet drivers.