Mental health and driving — Utah Permit Test

A driver whose mind is not on their driving is probably not driving safely.

Steering is the easy part. What keeps a car out of trouble is attention, and worry quietly spends it.

If your mind is not on your driving, you are probably not driving safely.

A driver who is angry or upset should give themselves time to cool off and stay off the road until they have.

Anger makes a driver take chances they would laugh at an hour later. Waiting costs a few minutes and nothing else.

Give yourself time to cool off. Take a walk or talk to a friend. Do anything, but stay off the road until you have cooled down.

Leaving a few minutes early removes the urge to speed, beat traffic signals, or do anything else that ends in a citation or a crash.

Almost every rushed decision on the road starts as being late. Time is the cheapest safety equipment there is.

Give yourself extra time. Leave a few minutes early, you will not feel the need to speed, beat traffic signals, or anything that will result in a citation or a traffic accident.

Many medications can cause drowsiness, so a physician may advise against driving until a dosage schedule is found that does not impair driving.

A drug that was prescribed is still a drug. The label on the box is the warning most drivers never read.

Many medications may cause drowsiness or other difficulties; therefore, a physician may advise against driving until a suitable dosage schedule has been worked out that will not impair driving.

What does the Utah handbook say about a driver whose mind is elsewhere?

They are probably not driving safely. Steering is the easy part. What keeps a car out of trouble is attention, and worry quietly spends it. Utah Driver Handbook 2026-2027, p.21: “If your mind is not on your driving, you are probably not driving safely.”