Online California DMV Traffic School Practice Test

Taking hands off the wheel to operate the radio is a major driving distraction because it removes manual control of the vehicle at the very moment you need steady steering. When your hands aren’t on the wheel, your ability to steer, react to sudden hazards, and maintain lane position is diminished, and your eyes and mind are drawn away from the road. The California Highway Patrol identifies this kind of activity as one of the top distractions that can lead to a collision, since it combines motor, visual, and cognitive diversion in a single moment. While other distractions like eating, reading road signs, or applying makeup are also risky, using the radio in a way that requires you to take your hands off the wheel is a classic example of the kind of distraction CHP warns drivers about.