Rev Your Engines for the 2025 PRPA Vehicle Operation Challenge – Drive Your Success!

Phone calls can create significant distractions for an officer while driving because they require cognitive engagement that pulls attention away from the primary task of driving. When receiving or making a call, an officer may have to focus on the conversation, process information, and respond, which can impair their situational awareness and reaction times on the road.

Engaging with a phone call can lead to divided attention, making it more difficult to notice critical driving cues, monitor the surroundings, or respond promptly to unexpected situations. This is especially pertinent for officers who must remain alert and aware of their environments for safety and effective response.

Other options may present challenges to driving, like vehicle power issues or speed, but those factors primarily affect vehicle control rather than diverting attention like phone calls do. Familiarity with a route might even reduce cognitive load, as officers are more comfortable navigating known areas.