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Distractions aren't limited to driving a car
In our fast-paced world, distractions are rampant. Technological innovation has given us so many options vying for our attention, which is a very lucrative business. Smart phones are everywhere, and contain a tiny universe of information packaged in colors, sounds and vibrations, providing endless interface as soon as we dip our attention down into the screen's stream. There are headphones with great sound quality that bring us into our own world right in the midst of the one we share with other people. More and more people are apparently learning how to cope with being addicted to electronic devices. While distracted driving gets a lot of press because the statistics so obviously show the danger, here are a few recent studies and facts that show how being distracted impacts us in many ways.
So you can multi-task? Your brain doesn't think so
A lot of myths surround the idea of multi-tasking. According to the online etymology dictionary, the term itself came about for the first time in 1966, and only had to do with computing. It wasn't until as recent as 1998 that the term was traced to usage in human thinking. Current research highlighted by the National Safety Council shows the idea of doing two thinking tasks at one time, as the term has popularly come to mean, is a myth. Curious to learn more about distracted driving? Click here.
The impossible texting and driving test
I'd like to share this video that tells a compelling story about how it's impossible to text and drive at the same time.
"Plenty of people will crash, I'm telling you," says one student as he begins the test. He's right. Current statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's site on distracted drivingshow that each day in the United States, more than 9 people are killed and more than 1,153 people are injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver. Every day.
Click here to see the video showing how impossible it is to safely text and drive at the same time.
Inattention blindness: what makes distracted driving so dangerous [VIDEO]
Everyone by now should know that driving while distracted is one of the most dangerous things you can do behind the wheel. But lots of people also think that multi-tasking is possible, and while other drivers might not be able to do two things at once, there are ways to juggle tasks safely. More and more research says this is not so. If you're trying to have a conversation on the phone, whether you are listening or speaking, your mind is engaged in cognitive tasks. Even if you aren't holding your phone - a manual task - your mind is focused on this primary task of your conversation. Which means that if you are trying to talk about your dinner plans while you're driving, your mind is focused on trying to choose between pizza and Chinese, not what's in front of your windshield.
Here is a great video that explains why distracted driving occurs.
Lost wages? PIP to the rescue
PIP stands for Personal Injury Protection and is automatically included with many auto insurance policies. Though individual policies vary, it may include $10,000 towards wage loss. But there are some important things to know about PIP and what it means to put it into action. Bill Coats Law in Bellingham, WA put together this article and video to help consumers understand auto insurance policies and what next steps to take in the unfortunate event of a car accident.
What do auto accident victims need to know about wage loss? [VIDEO]
If you or a loved one has been in an auto accident and experienced wage loss, or you're looking at having to re-train for a lower paying job because your injuries will prevent you from going back to what you used to do, you've got options. Click here to learn about wage loss, future wage loss, and your rights as an auto accident victim.
This massive semi and car accident demonstrates that size does matter in crash safety
Though engineering and materials are increasingly sophisticated in manufacturing safer cars, certain factors will always favor larger vehicles. For information on the top five safest vehicles in crashes, and what you should do if you are injured in a car accident, click here for this article from Bill Coats Law, a personal injury law firm in Bellingham WA who helps victims of drunk and distracted drivers.
When an uninsured motorist hits you, it can be hard to know what to do next. Here's one victim's story.
A common type of injury sustained in a motor vehicle accident is damage to the spine or pelvis. When someone is blindsided because a negligent driver "came out of nowhere" and hit them, there can be life-changing consequences. In this accident victim's story that happened in Bellingham, WA, the at-fault driver caused damage so severe that the victim was not able to return to his job after the accident - ever again. It was critical that he find money to pay for lost wages and damages he received because of the accident. Insult to injury, the motorist who hit him was uninsured.
New or leased vehicle? Read this before you talk to a claims adjuster
Unfortunately, no one can buy insurance to cover an accident that happens before the policy goes into effect. But, if you have a financed or leased vehicle, you'll want to read this article on how to protect yourself in case of a serious wreck.