Concentration is one of the most important elements needed whilst driving for a number of reasons. Being in control of a vehicle brings a huge amount of responsibility, as not only do you have the safety of you and other passengers in your car to bear in mind, you also have to consider other road users and pedestrians around you.

From revising the Highway Code to learning numerous manoeuvres, the process of driving takes skill, patience and concentration, in order to prepare you for a life of driving and the potential hazards that can crop up along the way.

Why is concentration so important whilst driving?

We’ve briefly touched on the safety element driving brings, which is a huge factor, but why else is concentration so important?

Besides from keeping you and other people around you as safe as possible at all times, there are a number of other distractions which can seriously affect your concentration; for example, the use of a mobile phone and other similar devices.

There’s no grey area when it comes to using a mobile phone whilst driving, it’s illegal and can land you in serious trouble with the law. For some drivers having a quick check of a mobile phone doesn’t seem like a big deal and won’t affect their concentration levels, but with the help from Kwik Fit, we think you can be proved wrong.

An interactive quiz has been created in order to test how alert you are whilst driving. A number of questions will appear on a mobile phone whilst the vehicle is moving. All you have to do is answer the questions and then click the mouse as quickly as possible when the “STOP” sign appears on the screen.

What are the potential consequences for drivers?

Whether it’s by the use of a mobile phone or rowdy passengers, there are many distractions which can affect how alert we are whilst driving; but what are the consequences?

It’s obvious that being distracted whilst driving can increase the risk of a collision or harm to you and other road users around you. Apart from the safety aspect of it though, there is a chance you’ll find yourself on the wrong side of the law.

If you take the risk of using a mobile phone whilst driving then you need to be aware of the serious consequences you could face.

If you’re caught using a device then you can expect to receive up to 6 penalty points on your licence and a fine; however, the situation is a lot worse if you’ve had your licence for less than 2 years. If this is the case then you’ll licence will be taken from you and you’ll be unable to drive for a long period of time.

These points alone should give you an idea of the importance of concentration whilst driving. It’s important to remove your phone from sight, as well as eliminating any other factors which can cause you distraction.