There is a well-known phenomenon involving drunk drivers where they consistently underestimate how alcohol has impaired their ability to drive. There are many reasons for this. Alcohol may increase someone’s sense of confidence and decrease their anxieties are reservations.
People who drink frequently may be under the mistaken impression that they can better control their actions while impaired, especially compared to someone who doesn’t drink frequently. Unfortunately, that usually isn’t the case.
Drunk drivers can and do cause a lot of damage to property and injuries to people. Distracted drivers are similar. They likely underestimate the risks they are taking, and they cause a large number of crashes every year. Distracted drivers may not believe that their choices put others at risk. They may really believe that they alone have the ability to safely text and drive.
Confirmation bias helps people feel invulnerable at the wheel
Many people think they are better drivers than they really are. This can lead people to make questionable decisions at the wheel and take unnecessary risks. Because they always arrive at their destination safely, these individuals feel that their experience of the world validates their opinion of their own safety.
This is called a confirmation bias. People interpret situations to reinforce their existing beliefs, regardless of what evidence says. Someone who has repeatedly texted while driving without causing a crash probably thinks that they can text and drive safely.
In reality, no one can safely look away from the road and take their hands off the wheel. Doing so is always a risk. The faster the distracted driver travels, the greater the potential risk for catastrophic crashes. If you believe that you can text safely, it may be time to reconsider that belief. Doing so will keep you and your loved ones safe in the future.
Distraction can lead to serious injury and even death
People who choose to text at the wheel probably aren’t doing so because they have a callous disregard for other individuals. Instead, they are overestimating their skill at driving and underestimating the risk they assume by looking down at their phone.
While it may be a mistake, that mistake can cost other people dearly. Distracted drivers frequently cause crashes that result in serious personal injury and even death.
For those who have suffered injuries or lost a loved one in a collision caused by a distracted driver, there is a silver lining to that terrible tragic experience. Specifically, you likely have the legal right to hold that distracted driver legally and financially responsible for the damages they caused through a personal injury lawsuit. It may be time to talk to an attorney and find out what your options are under Texas law.
Michael Zimmerman
Michael was born in Houston, Texas. His education at Baylor and Texas State Universities earned him a Bachelor of Science degree in 1987. His major was in Biology with a Minor in Chemistry. He finished his legal education at Texas Southern University in 1990, earning a Juris Doctorate from Thurgood Marshall School of Law. He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1990.
Rate this Post
Loading...