A campaign is highlighting the dangers of distraction to road users in Brighton & Hove and how mindfulness can help.

Working with the Sussex Mindfulness Centre, the ‘Mind in Gear’ campaign has produced a video with the help of local filmmaker Sarah West, which demonstrates how easily emotion can affect your driving and concentration levels. 

Keep your mindingear4roadsafety from SMC on Vimeo.

A simple mindfulness practice has also been developed for drivers to help improve focus before setting out on a journey.

Dangerous driving distractions

Around 40% of road traffic collisions involve ‘failure to look properly’ due to distractions. The most common distractions are 
•    texting
•    children in the car
•    talking on the phone
•    chatting to a passenger
•    changing the radio or music system
•    road rage
•    staring at an accident
•    having an argument
•    eating or drinking
•    lighting a cigarette

The campaign also includes links to some exercises from the Open University which can demonstrate how distracted you can be while driving. 

Councillor Steve Davis, member of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability committee said: “We all have our part to play in improving the safety of our roads.

“It’s very easy to be distracted while you’re driving, not just by things the things around us, but by our own thoughts and emotions too. Mindfulness is a proven method of focusing the mind and improving our awareness.

“Like any skill, driving needs full attention and as the main cause of any collision is distraction, focus is at the core of road safety.”

The project was funded by the Access Fund for Sustainable Travel.