Is Inattentional Blindness a Problem in Drivers?

Drivers in Washington like you know that distracted driving creates more crashes. But it is hard for drivers to know every potential distraction you may come across. 

Today, we will look at a form of distraction that is not discussed as often. This is inattentional blindness. It impacts drivers of all ages and can challenge the safety of anyone on the road. 

How inattentional blindness impacts drivers 

The American Psychological Association discusses inattentional blindness and its affect on driver safety. Their example involves a new driver. This is because younger drivers do not have experience with attention division. When you first start to drive, you may struggle to watch everything you should. Oncoming traffic, your rear-view mirror and blind spots all vie for your attention. When faced with these things, you may forget to spread your attention out. This can lead to you missing obvious dangers, like a red light or stop sign. 

But this happens even to experienced drivers. Inattentional blindness is a psychological phenomenon. It does not choose who to affect based on how long you have your license. It impacts anyone whose focus anchors onto one thing. 

Inattentional blindness creates additional dangers 

This is the way your human brain should function. Without inattentional blindness, too much information would inundate you every day. In normal scenarios, this is a helpful tool for navigating the world. When it comes to driving, it just creates more danger for the driver. 

Driver distraction in any form can cost you your life on the road. Being aware of inattentional blindness can help cut down on related incidents.