Tennessee Injury Law Center
Yesterday, we started the discussion for National Distracted Driving Awareness Month with some of the crazier forms of distracted driving (using the bathroom, taking selfies, curling eyelashes, putting in contacts, etc.) But today, the focus is on the most fatal form of distracted driving. I think the answer will surprise you. Most people, including me, would likely guess that texting is the most fatal form of distracted driving. And while texting and driving is indeed very common and very dangerous, it does not hold the top spot.
Instead, in 2013, Erie Insurance analyzed police data and concluded that daydreaming was the most fatal form of distracted driving. My apologies to Davy Jones and The Lovin’ Spoonful who both sang about the wonders of daydreaming.
The dictionary defines daydreaming as: “the condition of being so lost in solitary thought as to be unaware of one’s surroundings.” Have you ever driven right past your exit because you were lost in thought? Or, do you find yourself having a lot of close calls? Being so lost in thought that you are unaware of your surroundings can be deadly if you are driving a car.
So here are few simple steps to help you avoid daydreaming behind the wheel.
- Get enough sleep;
- Roll down the windows and get some fresh air;
- Before you start your trip, select and play some up-tempo music;
- If on a long trip, stop and take some short breaks where you get some physical activity;
- Drink a caffeinated beverage to mentally pep you up.
Throughout the month of April, make a daily assessment about your driving habits. When do you seem to be the least focused on your driving? Is it in the morning before you have had enough coffee? Is it when you have a big project due at work and it is consuming your thoughts? You might just see a pattern of when you are most susceptible to daydreaming and distracted driving. Armed with that information, you can make a more conscientious effort to avoid it. And, of course, if you have developed a winning strategy for combatting daydreaming or any other form of distracted driving, shoot me an email and tell me about it.
If you or a loved one would like to discuss a car accident case with one of our award-winning lawyers, we offer a free, no-obligation consultation where we will review your case, answer your questions and advise you of your legal options. All you have to do is call us at 866-812-8787 (toll-free). We handle all accident cases on a contingency basis, which means we only get paid if we recover money for you. And because we advance all case expenses, you are never out of pocket any money to pursue your legal rights. But, call us today as the law only allows you a limited time to pursue your case. And, the sooner we get started the sooner we can get you the compensation you deserve.