When serious car accidents take place, driver distraction is one thing that the authorities will often consider. This has always been an issue, but the increase in phone usage in the present era has made it more common than ever. Many distracted driving accidents involve smartphone use.
But there are some hidden dangers that are a bit harder to avoid and a bit harder to understand. One of them is daydreaming. Often thought of as a harmless activity, some sources have claimed it’s the number one reason that distracted drivers cause fatal car accidents. How could this be?
You can become lost in thought with no warning
The biggest problem with daydreaming, other than the fact that it takes the driver’s attention off of the road, is that it can sneak up on you. There’s no warning. It just happens. All of a sudden you realize that you haven’t really been watching the road, and you’ve been zoned out, thinking about other things. Even if you haven’t crashed, it can be jarring to come back to reality. But you don’t remember leaving. No one intentionally begins daydreaming while they drive.
With other types of distractions, you can take steps to prevent them. You could turn your phone off and zip it into a jacket pocket. You can be proactive about eliminating those distractions. But your mind can always begin daydreaming, especially if you’re under stress, and that can be fatal.
Even if you work hard not to daydream and to keep your attention on the road, you can’t guarantee that everyone else will. When another driver causes a wreck that leads to severe injuries, you need to know how to seek compensation.