Distracted Driving

Visual, manual and cognitive distractions, from phones to passengers. Phone laws differ from state to state; this topic covers the safety principles that apply everywhere.

43 practice questions with answers. These rules are the same in every state.

Distracted Driving quiz

Answer at your own pace. After each question you see the correct answer and why, and at the end a review of what you missed.

Quick quiz: 10 random questions on distracted driving; pass with 8 correct.

Distracted Driving questions with answers

Traffic safety experts describe three kinds of driver distraction. Which set is correct?
1. Visual, manual and cognitive
2. Audible, mechanical and legal
3. Physical, chemical and emotional
4. Primary, secondary and optional
Show answer

Answer A: Visual, manual and cognitive

Distraction takes the eyes off the road, the hands off the controls or the mind off driving, and many activities do more than one of those at once.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Why is texting considered one of the most dangerous distractions?
1. It drains the vehicle battery and the phone battery at the same time
2. It combines visual, manual and cognitive distraction at the same time
3. It affects only inexperienced drivers who have not yet learned to multitask
4. It interferes with the antilock braking system and other electronic aids
Show answer

Answer B: It combines visual, manual and cognitive distraction at the same time

Reading or writing a message takes your eyes off the road, at least one hand off the controls and your attention off driving simultaneously.
Roughly how far does a vehicle travel at 55 mph during the few seconds a driver spends reading a text message?
1. About the length of a parking space
2. About the length of one car
3. About one mile
4. About the length of a football field
Show answer

Answer D: About the length of a football field

Sending or reading a message takes the eyes off the road for about five seconds, which at 55 mph covers roughly the length of a football field with nobody watching the road.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Does using a hands free device remove the risk of distraction?
1. No, the conversation still takes attention away from driving
2. Yes, because both of your hands stay on the controls the whole time
3. Yes, as long as the call is short and the road ahead is clear
4. Yes, because your eyes stay on the road throughout the call
Show answer

Answer A: No, the conversation still takes attention away from driving

Hands free equipment removes the manual part of the distraction but not the mental part, and a driver deep in conversation can look straight at a hazard without registering it.
When should you enter a destination into a navigation device?
1. While stopped at a red light
2. Before you start driving, or after parking in a safe place
3. While driving slowly in the right lane
4. Whenever the road ahead is straight and empty
Show answer

Answer B: Before you start driving, or after parking in a safe place

Programming a route is a visual, manual and mental task at the same time, so it belongs to the moments before the vehicle moves rather than to any point in traffic.
Something rolls off the seat onto the floor while you are driving. What should you do?
1. Reach down quickly while keeping one eye on the road
2. Ask a passenger to climb over the seat for it
3. Leave it where it is and pick it up after you stop somewhere safe
4. Brake hard so it slides back within reach
Show answer

Answer C: Leave it where it is and pick it up after you stop somewhere safe

Reaching for an object pulls your eyes and your body away from the controls at exactly the wrong moment, and nothing on the floor is worth that risk.
Why are eating, drinking and personal grooming risky behind the wheel?
1. They are a problem only in city traffic
2. They occupy hands, eyes and attention that driving requires
3. They are harmless as long as your speed is low
4. They affect only the passengers
Show answer

Answer B: They occupy hands, eyes and attention that driving requires

Each of these tasks takes a hand off the controls and attention off the road, and a spill or a dropped item can pull the driver's eyes away entirely.
What is the safest way to handle an unrestrained pet or a child who needs attention while you are driving?
1. Deal with it while continuing to drive slowly in the right-hand lane
2. Hold the pet on your lap so that it stays calm and does not wander about
3. Move the child to the front seat, where you can reach them without turning around
4. Secure pets before the trip and pull over safely before attending to a child
Show answer

Answer D: Secure pets before the trip and pull over safely before attending to a child

A loose animal or an urgent situation in the back seat can capture a driver's attention completely, so restrain pets beforehand and stop in a safe place when someone needs help.
What is the best way to handle the radio, the music player and the climate controls on a trip?
1. Adjust them only while you are stopped at red lights or moving in slow traffic
2. Set them before you start driving and let a passenger handle changes
3. Change them quickly with one hand while keeping the other on the wheel
4. Adjust them only on straight roads where nothing is happening ahead
Show answer

Answer B: Set them before you start driving and let a passenger handle changes

Fiddling with controls takes eyes and hands off the driving task. Setting them before you move and letting a passenger make later changes removes the distraction entirely.

Source: nhtsa.gov
You are passing a crash on the other side of a divided highway. What should you do?
1. Slow down to look in case the crash involves someone you know
2. Stop on the shoulder briefly to photograph the scene for the police
3. Look at the crash while keeping one hand raised to warn others
4. Keep your eyes on your own lane and the traffic around you
Show answer

Answer D: Keep your eyes on your own lane and the traffic around you

Staring at a crash scene, often called rubbernecking, causes sudden slowing and secondary collisions. Your attention belongs on the traffic in front of you.

Source: nhtsa.gov
When should you adjust your seat, mirrors and steering wheel?
1. During the first minute of driving, once you feel the road
2. Before you start moving
3. At the first stop sign after leaving the driveway
4. Only when someone else has driven the vehicle before you
Show answer

Answer B: Before you start moving

Adjusting the driving position while moving takes your attention and often your hands away from driving. Make every adjustment while parked, every time.
You receive a phone call that you feel you must answer while driving. What is the safest way to take it?
1. Answer on speaker and hold the phone away from your face
2. Answer with one hand while slowing down below the limit
3. Answer only if you are in the right lane and there is no vehicle ahead of you
4. Pull off the road, stop in a safe place and then answer
Show answer

Answer D: Pull off the road, stop in a safe place and then answer

No call is worth a crash. Stopping in a safe location removes the distraction completely, while every other option divides your attention.

Source: nhtsa.gov
You realize you have driven several miles without remembering any of it. What kind of distraction is this?
1. Visual distraction, because your eyes were closed part of the time
2. Manual distraction, because your hands left the wheel
3. Cognitive distraction, because your mind was not on driving
4. No distraction at all, because your eyes stayed on the road
Show answer

Answer C: Cognitive distraction, because your mind was not on driving

Daydreaming or being lost in thought is a cognitive distraction. Your eyes may be on the road, but your brain is not processing what they see.

Source: nhtsa.gov
How do extra passengers affect a driver, especially a new one?
1. They increase the chance of distraction and of crashes
2. They make the trip safer by watching the road for the driver
3. They have no effect as long as they are wearing seat belts
4. They reduce crash risk because the driver tends to drive slower
Show answer

Answer A: They increase the chance of distraction and of crashes

Conversation, laughter and horseplay pull a driver's attention away from the road. Crash risk for young drivers rises with each additional passenger.

Source: nhtsa.gov
How long should a glance at a mirror or an instrument take?
1. A brief glance of about a second, returning your eyes to the road at once
2. Around four seconds, long enough to read every gauge carefully
3. As long as necessary, provided the road ahead looked clear when you last checked
4. About three seconds, the same as your following distance
Show answer

Answer A: A brief glance of about a second, returning your eyes to the road at once

Checks should be quick flicks of the eyes. At highway speed, a few seconds with your eyes off the road covers a distance long enough for a hazard to appear.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Study tip. Rule out the options you know are wrong first. Two plausible answers are easier to choose between than four.
Why is wearing headphones over both ears a problem while driving?
1. The cable can easily become tangled in the steering wheel or the gear lever
2. They interfere with the vehicle's radio reception
3. They make the airbag deploy incorrectly in a crash
4. You may not hear horns, sirens or other warning sounds
Show answer

Answer D: You may not hear horns, sirens or other warning sounds

Hearing is part of your awareness of traffic. Covering both ears blocks emergency sirens, horns and the sound of an approaching vehicle you cannot yet see.
Is it acceptable to watch a video on a screen positioned where you can see it while driving?
1. Yes, as long as the screen is mounted securely on the dashboard and not held in your hand
2. No, the screen pulls your eyes and attention away from the road
3. Yes, if the sound is muted so you can hear traffic
4. Yes, on freeways where there are no intersections
Show answer

Answer B: No, the screen pulls your eyes and attention away from the road

Moving pictures are among the strongest visual distractions. Video screens must be out of the driver's view while the vehicle is moving.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Some drivers believe they can multitask while driving. What does research show?
1. Experienced drivers can carry out two tasks at once with no loss of driving skill
2. Only the second task suffers, while driving stays fully safe
3. The brain switches rapidly between tasks and driving performance suffers
4. Multitasking is safe as long as both tasks are simple
Show answer

Answer C: The brain switches rapidly between tasks and driving performance suffers

The brain does not truly do two attention-demanding tasks at once; it alternates between them, and the driving task gets less attention each time.

Source: nhtsa.gov
A pedestrian near the curb is staring at a phone and not looking at traffic. What should you do?
1. Slow down and be ready to stop, because the pedestrian may step out without looking
2. Continue at your normal speed, because a pedestrian outside the crosswalk has no right-of-way
3. Sound a long blast of the horn to make the pedestrian look up
4. Steer closer to the center line and keep your speed so you pass quickly
Show answer

Answer A: Slow down and be ready to stop, because the pedestrian may step out without looking

Distracted pedestrians step into the street without checking. Assume they have not seen you and give yourself time and space to stop.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Is it safe to check your phone while stopped at a red light?
1. Yes, because the vehicle is not moving
2. No, you may miss the signal change and hazards around you
3. Yes, if you finish before the cross traffic stops
4. Yes, as long as you keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal the whole time
Show answer

Answer B: No, you may miss the signal change and hazards around you

Attention does not return instantly when the light changes, and emergency vehicles, pedestrians or a rear-end threat can appear while you are stopped. Stay focused on the road.

Source: nhtsa.gov
A hands free phone conversation is which kind of distraction?
1. Visual, because your eyes follow the conversation
2. Manual, because one hand is holding the handset
3. Cognitive, because your mind leaves the road
4. None at all, because both hands stay on the wheel
Show answer

Answer C: Cognitive, because your mind leaves the road

Hands free equipment removes the manual and visual parts of a call but not the mental load, and it is the mental load that makes a driver miss hazards.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Reaching for a drink in the cup holder is which kind of distraction?
1. Manual and visual at the same time
2. Cognitive only, because your eyes stay on the road
3. Manual only, because the glance down is very short
4. Not a distraction at all if the cup is in a holder
Show answer

Answer A: Manual and visual at the same time

Your hand leaves the wheel and your eyes flick down to find the cup, so a task that feels trivial takes away two of the three things driving needs.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Is dictating a message by voice a safe alternative to typing one?
1. Yes, it is exactly as safe as talking to a passenger
2. Yes, because your eyes never leave the road at any point
3. No, it still takes attention from driving
4. Yes, as long as the message is under about ten words
Show answer

Answer C: No, it still takes attention from driving

Composing and checking a spoken message loads the mind and usually pulls the eyes to the screen anyway, so research finds it no safer than other phone use.

Source: nhtsa.gov
About how far does a vehicle travel in one second at 60 mph?
1. About 88 feet
2. About 30 feet, roughly two car lengths of road
3. About 150 feet, about half of a city block
4. About 250 feet, the length of a freeway ramp
Show answer

Answer A: About 88 feet

At 60 mph you cover about 88 feet every second, which is why a glance of only two or three seconds means driving the length of several vehicles blind.

Source: nhtsa.gov
At 45 mph you look at a navigation screen for four seconds. Roughly how far do you travel unseeing?
1. About 60 feet, which is a couple of car lengths
2. About 500 feet, or almost two city blocks of road
3. About 1,000 feet, which is about a fifth of a mile
4. About 260 feet
Show answer

Answer D: About 260 feet

At 45 mph you cover roughly 66 feet a second, so four seconds on a screen is around 260 feet of road that you never looked at.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Once you are moving, which way of using a navigation device costs you the least attention?
1. Watching the moving map for the next turn arrow
2. Listening to the spoken directions
3. Zooming the map in and out as the route develops
4. Checking the estimated arrival time every few miles
Show answer

Answer B: Listening to the spoken directions

Voice guidance lets you keep your eyes on the road, while anything that needs the screen takes glances that add up over a trip.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Your navigation device tells you to turn where a road sign says the turn is closed. What should you do?
1. Follow the device, since it uses live road information
2. Follow the signs and what you can see
3. Stop where you are and enter the destination again
4. Take the next available exit and rejoin the old route
Show answer

Answer B: Follow the signs and what you can see

A device works from stored data that can be out of date, while signs and the road in front of you show the situation now, so the road wins every time.

Source: nhtsa.gov
What is the sensible way to handle a meal on a long drive?
1. Choose only food that can be held in a single hand
2. Eat while the road ahead is straight and quiet
3. Eat at red lights so that no driving time is lost
4. Eat before you leave or stop to eat
Show answer

Answer D: Eat before you leave or stop to eat

Eating takes hands, eyes and attention, and the only version with no cost to your driving is the one that happens while the car is parked.

Source: nhtsa.gov
A hot drink tips over onto your lap while you are driving. What should you do?
1. Keep hold of the wheel and stop when it is safe
2. Brake hard right away to cut short the scalding
3. Reach for napkins in the passenger footwell at once
4. Steer with your knees while you mop up the spill
Show answer

Answer A: Keep hold of the wheel and stop when it is safe

The spill is painful but the crash risk comes from letting go of the wheel or braking suddenly, so keep control and deal with it once you are stopped.

Source: nhtsa.gov
A child in the back seat unfastens a seat belt while you are on the freeway. What should you do?
1. Pull off safely and refasten the belt
2. Reach back and refasten it while driving slowly
3. Ask an older passenger to unbuckle and go help
4. Carry on and deal with it once you have arrived
Show answer

Answer A: Pull off safely and refasten the belt

Turning or reaching back takes your eyes and hands off a high speed task, so leave the freeway or use the shoulder only if there is no exit, then fix the belt.

Source: nhtsa.gov
A wasp flies in through the open window while you are driving. What is the safest reaction?
1. Swat at it quickly before it can settle on you
2. Stay calm, slow down and stop somewhere safe
3. Open every window and speed up to blow it out
4. Watch it carefully until it lands somewhere harmless
Show answer

Answer B: Stay calm, slow down and stop somewhere safe

Far more crashes come from the driver's reaction to an insect than from the insect, so keep your eyes forward, slow down and deal with it stopped.

Source: nhtsa.gov
You get into a heated argument with a passenger while driving. What should you do?
1. Keep the argument going but drive more slowly
2. Turn to face the passenger only at red lights
3. Raise your voice so the argument ends more quickly
4. End the discussion or pull over to finish it
Show answer

Answer D: End the discussion or pull over to finish it

Anger narrows attention and encourages risk, and a conversation you cannot let go of is a passenger you should be parked to talk with.

Source: nhtsa.gov
A large electronic advertising sign beside the road catches your eye. What should you do?
1. Glance briefly and return your eyes to the road
2. Read the whole message before the traffic moves again
3. Slow down and study it so it does not distract you later
4. Watch it in the mirror once you have already gone past
Show answer

Answer A: Glance briefly and return your eyes to the road

Bright changing displays are designed to hold attention, so treat them like any roadside object and give them no more than a brief glance.

Source: nhtsa.gov
You have finished a distracting task and your eyes are back on the road. What is true?
1. Your full attention takes a while to come back
2. Attention returns the instant that you look up again
3. The risk ends as soon as both hands are back on the wheel
4. Your reactions are sharper than usual after the change of focus
Show answer

Answer A: Your full attention takes a while to come back

Studies of drivers show attention lags behind the eyes for many seconds after a phone or a screen task, so the danger continues after the task is over.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Why do many crashes happen on routes the driver knows very well?
1. Familiar roads carry more traffic than unknown ones do
2. Crashes close to home are always the other driver's fault
3. Short trips near home do not need full concentration
4. Familiar roads let attention slip into routine
Show answer

Answer D: Familiar roads let attention slip into routine

When a route is automatic the mind wanders and hazards get missed, which is why a well known road deserves the same attention as a strange one.

Source: nhtsa.gov
A driver on a hands free call looks straight at a red light and drives through it. What best explains this?
1. The signal must have changed too fast to be noticed
2. The eyes saw it but the brain did not process it
3. The driver's eyes were shut for a fraction of a second
4. The windshield pillar hid the signal head from view
Show answer

Answer B: The eyes saw it but the brain did not process it

Attention, not eyesight, decides what a driver actually sees, and a loaded mind can leave a driver looking straight at a hazard without registering it.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Your phone is in a mount on the dashboard rather than in your hand. What is true?
1. The distraction is removed because it sits at eye level
2. It still takes your eyes and mind off the road
3. It is safe as long as the screen is turned partly away
4. It only becomes a problem when the phone is held by hand
Show answer

Answer B: It still takes your eyes and mind off the road

A mount solves the hand problem but not the eye or the mind problem, and reading or tapping a mounted screen costs the same seconds of attention.

Source: nhtsa.gov
What is the best way to keep your phone from distracting you on a trip?
1. Keep it in sight so you can judge which calls matter
2. Answer quickly so the ringing stops distracting you
3. Leave it on the passenger seat within easy reach
4. Silence it and stow it before you start
Show answer

Answer D: Silence it and stow it before you start

A phone you cannot hear and cannot reach cannot tempt you, which is far more reliable than deciding case by case while you drive.

Source: nhtsa.gov
You have printed directions or paperwork you need to check. When should you read them?
1. At a red light, where the vehicle is already stopped
2. Propped on the wheel so they stay in your line of sight
3. Before you leave, or after you park
4. One line at a time, between checks of your mirrors
Show answer

Answer C: Before you leave, or after you park

Reading takes eyes and mind off the road for far longer than any safe glance, and a light that changes while you read leaves you moving off blind.

Source: nhtsa.gov
When is it acceptable to reach into the back seat for something while driving?
1. Never; stop somewhere safe instead
2. When traffic is light and the road ahead is straight
3. When a passenger can hold the wheel steady for you
4. When your speed is below twenty miles per hour
Show answer

Answer A: Never; stop somewhere safe instead

Twisting round takes your eyes off the road and your control of the wheel with it, so anything in the back seat waits until the car is stopped.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Loose items slide around your car and rattle every time you brake. What is the answer?
1. Catch them as they slide so the noise stops
2. Brake gently so they slide back into place
3. Secure them before you start driving
4. Ignore them, since objects cannot affect driving
Show answer

Answer C: Secure them before you start driving

Sliding objects pull your attention and can roll under the pedals, so stow them in the trunk or wedge them before the trip rather than chasing them during it.

Source: nhtsa.gov
A notification appears on your smart watch while you are driving. What should you do?
1. Read it, since a glance at your wrist takes no time
2. Treat it as you would a phone and leave it
3. Reply with a short spoken message instead of typing
4. Check it at the next stop sign while you are stopped
Show answer

Answer B: Treat it as you would a phone and leave it

A watch screen demands the same eyes and the same attention as a phone, and a wrist is no safer a place to read a message than a dashboard.

Source: nhtsa.gov
What is a good rule for any task you want to do inside the vehicle?
1. Anything is fine if one hand stays on the wheel
2. Anything is fine while the traffic is moving slowly
3. Anything is fine on a road that you know very well
4. If it needs more than a moment, do it stopped
Show answer

Answer D: If it needs more than a moment, do it stopped

A glance of a second or two is manageable, but any task that runs longer belongs to a stopped vehicle, because the road does not pause while you do it.

Source: nhtsa.gov