Consequences of “Emotional” Driving

Over the past several years, there has been much written about the dangers of distracted driving. Texting and other cell phone use, eating, and other activity that take your focus off the road can cause vehicle accidents which many times have serious – and too often – fatal consequences.

span style=”font-weight: 400;”>But many people do not realize that emotions can also have a strong impact on how focused you are on driving. Anger, depression, fear, even excitement, can have a negative impact on driving. Multiple studies have been conducted to see how emotions affect us when driving. Both negative and positive emotions can cause a marked decrease in observation skills and reaction times in a driver. Some of the other results include:

• The failure of recognizing situations that should cause a reaction from the driver, such as road debris or a sudden slowdown or stopping of traffic.
• Inability to determine or predict what other drivers will do.
• Increased and dangerous risk-taking, such as suddenly changing lanes, cutting across several lanes of traffic to take an exit or turn, or driving in prohibited areas, such as the shoulder on a highway.
• Marked decrease in the ability to use precise timing or other skills required in driving.
• Leave a driver feeling detached from the road and other drivers in vehicles around them.

Ideally, it is best not to drive when upset, but instead, wait until you have calmed down. However, that is not always possible, especially in cases of emergencies. Here are some suggestions to follow if you do have to get behind the wheel:

• Pull over to a safe area and park the car. Close your eyes and take some deep breaths until you feel yourself calm down.
• As you are driving, really make an effort to not think about the thing that is upsetting you. Listen to your favorite music to help distract you. One suggestion is to make a “dismissal hand gesture” as a visual to “dismiss” the troubling thoughts.
• If you are feeling rushed or in hurry, leaving yourself enough time to get to your destination will help avoid frustration from dealing with traffic, road construction, slow drivers, or other factors which could delay your arrival.

At the Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt, we have seen the horrific outcome of vehicle accidents and how they can affect victims and their families. Each Abingdon VA personal injury attorneys are here to help victims obtain the financial compensation they are entitled to compensate them for the losses their injuries have caused them to suffer.

If you have been injured in a vehicle accident caused by the negligence of another driver, contact an experienced personal injury attorney Abingdon VA clients recommend from our firm for a free case evaluation to find out what legal recourse may be available to you. Our attorneys can help you obtain compensation for all of your medical expenses you have incurred for treatment of your injuries and the wages and benefits you have lost while recovering. You may also be able to pursue damages for pain and suffering, emotional anguish, and any permanent disability, scarring, or disfigurement you may have suffered.