By now it’s clear that there’s a “national” or “international” day for everything. I happened to notice that today is #GlobalDayOfUnplugging, and I think this one is actually really important to share. From sundown on March 1st to sundown on March 2nd, the whole world is encouraged to give our devices a rest. Do you think you could meet this challenge? What about your teenagers?
The reason this day to unplug stood out to me is because I work mostly with teen drivers and see the effect that technology has on them as a population. I have mentioned before that the high dependence on technology seems to have stunted their conversation skills. Another issue I have been facing in recent years is teaching them how to use their own eyes in the task of driving. It’s surprising but true that many teens simply aren’t equipped to view the road like a driver when we get into lessons. What I want most out of this day of unplugging is for everyone to look up and look around at the world.
Drivers Miss Too Much When Looking at a Fixed Point
Safe, alert drivers are always scanning their field of vision. The road right in front of the car is not the only important place to look. Last month, I shared Peyton’s story about watching her mom’s eyes on a road trip. Mom was continually looking around so she could maintain awareness of her surroundings. Drivers need to look in front of the car, but also watch the panoramic view ahead. They need to look up to the rearview mirror and check the side mirrors. The better they are at looking around, the better they can control the car and anticipate a need for defensive driving skills.
In recent years, I have found a growing learning curve in teaching these visual scanning skills to students. Young people are so used to looking at screens all day that their eyes have been conditioned to always look down. Whether it’s a phone in the hand or a Chromebook in the lap, everything from communication to education to entertainment is happening in a fixed visual spot. Tunnel vision used to be more strongly associated with overthinking behind the wheel. Today, it’s a standard habit for teen drivers.
My coaches and I are very well aware of this habit, so we focus on eye training throughout driving lessons. Before we ever move the car, we ask our students questions about what they are looking at. Do they need to look down at the instrument panel on the dashboard? Yes, of course! But that’s one visual point of many that they should be able to describe before they put the car in gear.
Looking Down is a Problem for Experienced Drivers
Teen drivers aren’t the only ones getting conditioned to look down too often. We’re all immersed in the screens of daily life, and it is bound to have an effect. How often do you catch yourself looking down throughout the day? Not just when you’re driving, but where do you look when you walk down a hall at the office or on the path at your local park? When you are at work, do you spend all day staring at one thing? How much of your daily entertainment and news are you getting from looking down at your phone?
Obviously, we have to focus on screens for a lot of daily tasks. But that singular view absolutely has an impact on our brains and how we exercise our eye and neck muscles. Even worse, it could be reducing our attention spans in tasks where we need to be alert and watchful. If you want your teen driver to learn to scan the road well, make sure that you are modeling the practice. Even outside the car, start taking notice of how much you’re taking in of the world around you. Try to make a habit of looking around more throughout your day and actually describing what you see. Challenge your teens to do the same. Remember the game “I Spy?” It’s a great tool for sharpening observational skills.
Unplug, Hang Up, and Hang Out
My daughter, Sydni, has a saying, “Hang up and hang out.” It’s her fun way of reminding herself and her friends that talking to each other is more important than what’s happening on their smartphones. It’s often the signal that gets them all up off the couch and out the door to do something fun.
Even if the official Global Day of Unplugging doesn’t work for your family to fully unplug for 24 hours, I encourage you to set a date soon. Or even just commit to putting away all the screens for at least an hour a day. Take that time to look around and notice whatever you can see. It doesn’t have to be interesting; the fact that it is real is enough to engage more of your brain.
When you’re coaching your teen driver, take time to fully unplug at the beginning of the lesson. Put the phones away and talk about what you both see. Keep that up during the drive, making sure that your teen has their eyes up where they can watch the road and everything around them. If you are looking for more helpful ideas to coach your teen as a new driver, check out my course, the Parent’s Survival Guide for New Teen Drivers. For additional support in teaching your teen to properly scan the road and learn the safe driving skills that keep them alert, contact us for Driving Lessons. Our coaches are certified to support teens as they learn the skills that will make them safe and alert drivers.
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