It’s very clear that some drivers are distracted. Maybe someone is swerving all over the road and you can see through the front window that they keep turning around to talk to a passenger. Or maybe you’re at a stoplight when you look over and you see that the driver next to you is texting or talking on the phone. Distractions are everywhere.
Concerningly, though, even a driver who appears to be completely alert and focused on the road may be distracted. This could be because of their mind wandering, which is when they just begin daydreaming or they get lost in thought. Researchers have identified this as one of the most common causes of distraction, but they admit that it is a very hard one to address. It’s difficult to Identify when someone is lost in thought and even that person may not realize that has happened until they cause a car accident.
Why does this happen?
There are many reasons why people get lost in thought when driving. One of them is just boredom. Many people drive the exact same route during their commute every single day, perhaps for years or even decades. It can become so routine that they may “zone out” and not really think about the drive.
But it can also happen when life is just busy and chaotic. Maybe someone has a huge project to do at work, their spouse is talking about getting a divorce, their children are involved in extracurricular activities and their credit card debt is getting out of control. They just have a lot of things to think about or worry about. In the relative silence of their daily drive, it’s easy for their mind to shift over to these topics instead of focusing on the road.
Have you been injured by a distracted driver? You may be able to seek compensation for medical bills and other costs.