Daydreaming is also distracted driving and can cause accidents

Motorists in Chicago and throughout Illinois are aware of the dangers of distracted driving. It seems that every driver is tempted by the accessibility of a handheld device and cannot resist checking it at every opportunity. This includes texting, making phone calls, using GPS, and surfing the web while also driving the vehicle. However, the term “distracted driving” is not limited to cell phones. This should be factored in when driving as other forms of distraction might have contributed to a motor vehicle accident.

Drivers who “zone out” are distracted

There are other ways for drivers to be distracted apart from cell phones. One is “zoning out” and not watching the road. Anecdotal evidence shows the risks involved with this behavior as a trucker is facing jail time after causing a rear-end crash that killed three teens. During the investigation, he admitted that he was daydreaming. While this can be categorized as a byproduct of the redundant nature of truck driving, all drivers may be vulnerable to it.

A recent study says that drivers are prone to, as the trucker put it, going to “la-la land.” Much of this is related to drivers who are driving the same routes repeatedly. Because driving is repetitive and many of the activities – braking, turning, accelerating – are somewhat automatic, that can extend to situations in which drivers should be paying strict attention but are not. Researchers measured brain activity in drivers. With that and other tools, they found that drivers’ minds wandered more than 70% of the time they spent driving. This is shown to be a potential catalyst for a motor vehicle accident.

Regardless of the cause, distracted driving accidents can cause major damage

If the source of the distraction was due to cellphone use, then there will likely be clear evidence of that fact. Other types of distraction can include simply zoning out. Any distracted driving collision could have certain hallmarks that should be assessed. With the potential for severe injuries, medical costs, and radical life changes, it is imperative to understand how to analyze the situation and proceed accordingly.