How devices affect behaviours

One of the trickiest subjects to bring up to pupils is the use of mobile phones while driving.  It is an incredibly "thorny" subject because rather like a 'catch 22' the addictive use of mobiles in everyday life in itself can adversely affect peoples self-awareness skills to consider such topics.  Denial will almost certainly be the stock response you will get should you bring up this subject on a driving lesson.  But then, denial is very likely to be the response anyone would get when bringing up the constant use of mobiles to someone who is addicted to a mobile.  The consequences of this problem are far reaching;  Simon Sinek speaks about this here.

The difficulty is often that what pupils say they will do, might very well be their intention, but it does not turn out to be their actual behaviour.  For this problem, there really is no substitute for modelling good habits by putting your own devices in the glove box before the session, and inviting your pupil to do the same.  Out of sight, out of mind.  I have known pupils before who really struggle to not be in physical contact with their phone while driving - they need it to be touching them; often they will place it under their thigh or in their pocket.  My advice is to invite their thoughts and feelings but when all is said and done, make it one of the ground rules for the driving lesson just like there is no smoking.  And do get them to physically put the phone in the glove box while they are in the drivers seat - get them used to the act of leaning over, putting it in, and closing the glove box.

However, as with all addictions, this problem is more complex than simply insisting on the above.  People will often know they are on their mobile, they know they shouldn't be, they know what the law is, but they literally can't get off it.  They literally, cannot get off their phone.  If you want to see this in action, check out this video here. If you listen carefully to what these drivers are saying, the mindset is that they know they are doing it, and they will only review changing their behaviour should there be a serious consequence. It is of course completely irrational, as addictive behaviour is, but that is what we are dealing with here.

What this means to us as driving training professionals is pretty profound, and this is where for our own benefit of keeping sane, we must take care of ourselves.  What this potentially means is that no matter how much you explain about the distance being travelled per second, or any educational aspect to this to raise their awareness, you will not change their belief.  And this is a very real aspect of our work.  It includes peoples attitudes to drink/drug driving, speeding, wearing seat belts, road rage, tailgating etc.  The influencers of peoples behaviours can be incredibly more powerful than any one driving instructor.  So the bit you DO have control over is that they put their phone away in the glove box on a driving lesson..... and my advice to you is to exercise that control each and every time you see your pupils.

BIG TOM Driving School - Driving Instructor Training 0775 607 1464 http://drivinginstructortraining.bigtom.org.uk/