Driver attitude, courtesy, fatigue and impairment (alcohol, drugs, distraction)
This domain tests the human factors that cause avoidable crashes: patience, courtesy, fatigue, alcohol and drugs, and distraction. The exam expects you to recognise impairment before it becomes a driving error.
Attitude and courtesy
Drive predictably: signal early, thank courteously, allow merging traffic when safe and avoid retaliation. Tailgating, flashing lights aggressively and “teaching someone a lesson” increase risk. Courtesy is not weakness; it reduces conflict and keeps space around you.
Fatigue
Fatigue slows reaction, narrows attention and causes microsleeps. Signs include yawning, heavy eyes, drifting, missing signs and difficulty keeping lane position. Plan rest stops every two hours or sooner, with a 15–20 minute break. Coffee, cold air or loud music are temporary masks, not cures. The safe response is to stop in a safe place and rest.
Alcohol and drugs
Alcohol reduces judgement, inhibitions and reaction time before you “feel drunk”. In Malaysia the legal blood-alcohol limit is 80 mg per 100 ml (0.08% BAC), with a breath limit of 35 µg per 100 ml; exceeding it is an offence. Prescription and recreational drugs can impair driving even if prescribed. Do not drive under the influence; arrange a sober driver or public transport.
Distraction
Phone use, texting, navigation entry, eating and intense conversations divide attention. Hands-free use is still distracting. Set navigation before moving and put the phone out of reach.
Worked example
At 11 pm on a long drive you yawn repeatedly and drift toward the lane line. You have another 80 km to go. The correct choice is to stop at a safe rest area, rest for 15–20 minutes and, if still drowsy, stop for the night. Opening the window is not a solution because the underlying fatigue remains.
Traps
Do not believe “one drink is fine” or that coffee sobers you up. Do not use a phone at a red light. Do not drive when a medicine label warns of drowsiness. Do not treat aggressive driving as a way to enforce the law.