School Of Motoring

Concentration & focus

Do you have trouble concentrating, staying focussed on the road ahead of you, or behind you? If you’ve ever made a stupid mistake, or find one mistake leads to others, then you are not focussing on the job in hand. Driving safely.

In order to stay focussed on driving safely and properly, instead of worrying about other things that aren’t important while you’re behind the wheel, use a technique called commentary driving.

Advanced drivers, and even police drivers, will often use commentary driving to sharpen their attention and focus on the things that matter. Hazards, other road users, what’s in your mirrors, and what’s in the road ahead.

If you have made a mistake, put it behind you - and use commentary driving to focus your mind and attention on what’s happening next and now.

Try it, next time you’re in a car (even if you’re in the passenger seat). Every time you turn a corner or enter a new stretch of road, look right to the end, as far as you can see, and describe briefly what is furthest away. What is before that, and what is before that, and so on. Don’t forget to move your eyes so you can also watch the kid on the bike on the pavement just in front of you.

For example, “Roundabout at end of road”, “Zebra crossing before roundabout”, “Lorry close behind me, reducing speed”,  “Road wet, reducing speed even further, show lorry my brake lights”, “Old lady walking towards the crossing, covering brake still”, “Lady walked up to crossing”, “Gently braking to stop”.

See? You’ve now avoided slamming your brakes on when you saw the old lady walking across the road. And you avoided having a lorry jack-knife into the back of your car, injuring, or even killing, any children who might have been in the back seat.

About us | Contact us | Terms and conditions
Website design and hosting by Driving School Services