Car accidents can be the result of a many different causes such as drunk drivers, speeding and reckless drivers, and even those who are overly tired. What many people may not realize though is that a mentally distracted driver can be just as dangerous to themselves and others on the road around them. Our cognitive attention is absolutely essential when driving a car, which is one of the reasons why texting and driving is so dangerous. Not only does texting take your eyes off the road and your hands from the wheel, it also pulls your mind from focusing on what lies ahead. Even if you aren’t texting, mind wandering in of itself can be dangerous as you can be so pulled into your thoughts you don’t realize what is happening directly in front of you.
Day dreaming is not a bad thing; in fact it is quite natural. However, when we are behind the wheel of a cry it is important to make sure these wanderings are affecting our ability to control the vehicle. According got a French traffic study of 955 motorists; they sought to discover how many of these people were responsible for their accident because of daydreaming. All of these individuals had been involved in some type of traffic accident and after the survey; they concluded that 17% of all of these people had been daydreaming at the time of their incident. Further studies show that about half of all motorists will admit to daydreaming while driving to the point of recognizing that they were too distracted. These distractions can greatly increase the chances of a car accident either with another vehicle, a motorcycle, truck or pedestrian in the area nearby.
Here are a few quick tips to consider in order staying fully focused on the road:
- As stated, try to keep your thoughts on the road and out of dream world
- Keep adjusting your music to a minimum while driving, this can distract you and keep your eyes off the road for too long of a time
- Make sure your mirrors are adjusted in our car before leaving
- Some people need silence to stay focused, even if this means no music; do what you need to do to stay focused
- Whatever you do, do not wear you MP3 player headphones! It is dangerous to confine your mind only to the music and it will keep you from hearing important sounds outside of your car
- Cell phones can be a huge distraction, never text while driving and keep talking to a minimum (and always use a hands free device)
- If it is possible to wait to drink your coffee until you get to work do it, even food and drinks can be a distraction on the road
- Stay confident on the road! Fear of failure can be a distraction, stay focused and calm
Distracted drivers can be extremely dangerous, play your part and do what you can to create a safe environment for yourself, your passengers and others you share the road with. In the event you are in an accident caused by a distracted driver, contact Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers today for a skilled Shreveport injury lawyer in order to prove the responsibility and negligence of the driver in the other vehicle. Our team will help you fight for the compensation you deserve after the accident and subsequent injuries. This repayment will help you pay for the medical bills, any wages lost from work, etc. No person deserves to have their life placed at risk when on the road, and while accidents do happen; the majority of car crashes are an entirely preventable. For this reason our firm is dedicated to helping our clients fight for justice and financial reimbursement. Contact us today for more information!
