Have you ever driven somewhere and then arrived at your destination only to not remember the drive? Or maybe you were lost in thought or talking on the phone and completely missed your exit?

Many of us who work hard seem to use driving time as a way to catch up on calls. However, it only takes a second of distraction for a tragedy. In 2020 and the increase of the world’s anxiety, U.S. traffic deaths rose 7.2% to 38,680. In the first six months of 2021, they surged by a whopping 18.4% compared to the first half of 2020. Driving can be dangerous!

Studies have found that when a driver’s mind is focused on something other than driving—a daydream, a worry, a text, a video, or a phone conversation—the driver’s brain may not react to what the eyes detect on the road ahead. That is, the signal that travels along the optic nerve from the eyes to the brain gets short-circuited. As a result, a distracted driver can look directly ahead but fail to “see” what’s in plain view. Researchers call it “inattention blindness.” (2022, Heads-Up for Safety: Practice Mindful Driving, Harvard School of Public Health)

Personally, this is an issue I care deeply about because I lost someone I loved due to a distracted driver. The interesting thing about it was, the distracted person believed he could actually talk while driving….and so do many other people.

Research in accident analysis and prevention shows that mindfulness makes a big difference in helping us all get to our destinations safely.

Tip: Take your time. Know you are about to drive and intentionally capture your attention for the task at hand. Just like you put your seatbelt on, put your mindfulness on. Notice if you start becoming distracted and bring your attention back to the road. Stay vigilant, scan the road for anything unexpected situation, and be ready to react. A regular mindfulness practice will help you get better at this.

Want more? We offer mindfulness workshops that can help you be more focused in your personal life and in your workplace. Contact us to schedule!