What is Your Circle of Care?

Your world can be turned upside down in the wake of an accident. The aftermath can cause physical, mental, emotional and financial stress on you and your family that can be very overwhelming.

Navigating the path to recovery can be difficult, so it’s important to reach out to your circle of care, or people that are able to help you with the services you need to get there. Each member of the team plays an important role to get you on your way to recovery – here is a list of the top eight that you should have documented and prepared.

1. Police and EMS

Police

When involved in a serious accident where property is damaged or you are injured (like a traffic accident) it’s crucial to immediately report the accident to police. In addition to tickets they may issue, their reports are detailed and contain valuable information about the details of the accident and the at-fault party. These are important documents if you later need to build a case while seeking the personal or property damages you need

Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

The first responders to your serious injury are usually EMS. They play a key role in providing care to you as soon as possible and are the first step towards your physical care and recovery. They also write detailed reports about your injuries and the medical care provided to you by them, which are useful while building a case for the compensation you need.

2. Social Workers

If you’re seriously injured, those close to you and your caregivers can be affected immensely. Social workers can be a great support to your family or caregivers to help solve problems and cope with the changes that the accident has brought into your life, and the lives of those around you.

3. Insurance

Insurance companies play an important role in your access to the personal or property damages you deserve. While seeking personal or property damages, you will usually be dealing with the insurance company to get the money you deserve.

4. Psychologists and Family Counselors

Personal injury doesn’t only cause physical distress—it can cause mental and emotional stress as well. And it cannot only affect you but those very close to you as well. Reaching out to psychologists and family counselors when needed to help cope and deal with the stress and emotions involved with a personal injury is important for well-being and a smoother road to recovery.

5. Doctors

Doctors provide assessment, treatment and examinations throughout the personal injury recovery journey. It’s important to see a doctor early and let them know about even the smallest injuries or mental stress associated with the accident – follow their instructions for care and go to any necessary follow-up appointments. When interacting with doctors for examinations it’s important to give proper backstories while being very descriptive and showing that the injury you’re experiencing has changed over time and why. Doctors provide many pieces of documentation used during and after your recovery that is important for building your case for the personal damages you need.

6. Registered Nurses

Being in the hospital due to a personal injury can make nurses a key role in the journey to recovery from injury. They provide essential treatment of your injury in addition to education about it.

7. Rehab and Physiotherapy

Accidents can cause a range of personal injuries, some of which physiotherapy or physical rehabilitation provide fantastic treatments for. Physiotherapists can also help with the recovery journey by providing education about the injury and helping enable management of it and it’s symptoms.

8. Personal Injury Lawyers

Personal injury lawyers are there to protect you. They represent you and work hard to get you what you deserve in your journey to recovery.

Dye and Russell works hard to protect your rights and get you the best possible outcome on your claim. We are a dedicated part of your circle of care that makes sure everyone is committed to helping you recover and supporting you every step of the way.

If you have been injured, and need legal assistance, call #1000 on your cell phone for free. We will offer you a free claim assessment.

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Liability and the Internet of Things

Who is responsible when automation goes wrong?

Today a lot of the products you depend upon are being put online. From vacuum cleaners and fitness trackers to home thermostats and home security cameras, chances are you probably own at least one of the many connected devices for sale.

But besides small commercial items, more expensive and industrial products are also being added to the Internet of Things. The growing amount of software and connectivity in cars is expanding quickly and full automation looks to be close on the horizon.

Connectivity in all sorts of items can have great benefits. For example, in connected cars benefits can include increased road safety, traffic management and sustainability in operation.

But could your connected devices carry more harm than you think? University of Cambridge professor Ross Anderson explained recently the safety implications of our connected devices in a study Standardisation and Certification of the ‘Internet of Things’.

He found that as the products we rely on for our lives become more technically complex, and more connected, that the current discussion issues around security of these devices will evolve from being mostly a privacy concern into a concern for public safety.

“What we are doing is putting online an awful lot of devices on which people depend for their lives and which can kill people if they go wrong,” says Anderson.

The dangers of software defects, and the vulnerability to cyber attacks can cause concern with those whose lives depend on those products working properly and securely, as issues can cause serious harm, and even death.

Fast dial #1000 free from your cell and we’ll get you the support you need.

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How to stay safe while hiking

8 tips to follow while on the trail

Ontario is a great place to go for a hike. From the elevated viewpoints of the Ottawa/Temiskaming Highland Trail to the waterfalls along the Bruce Trail, hiking in Ontario can be an amazing way to see the province.

But while hiking can offer great views it can also be dangerous. Exposing yourself to the elements, getting up close and personal with nature or being ill-prepared for your hike can end in a serious injury.

Here are 8 tips from Kettering Health Network to help you stay safe on your next hike:

1. Plan ahead

If you’re hiking by yourself make sure to let someone know where you’re going and what time you’re expecting to return. If you’re going in a group it’s important to decide on a meet-up location before setting out on your hike, just in case anyone becomes separated from the group.

2. Wear the right clothing

Dress for your hike according to the terrain and the weather. That means proper shoes or hiking boots. As well, it’s important to protect yourself from tick bites by wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, which make it easier to see them and brush them off.

3. Teach yourself

Before you step foot on the trail learn how to spot and steer clear of toxic plants like poison oak, sumac or ivy.

4. Pack appropriately

Make sure to bring the essentials like water, food, a map, a compass/GPS, a whistle, a headlamp, a flashlight, a knife or multipurpose tool, insect repellent that includes DEET, sunscreen, sunglasses, rain gear and a first aid kit.

5. Hydrate

While you’re hiking it’s important to drink lots of water. As you hike your body sweats and loses fluid. Failing to drink water while you hike can leave you dehydrated and lead to heat-related issues like heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

6. Choose wisely

Never go off of the established trail and stay out of off-limits areas.

7. Pay attention

Today there are lots of digital distractions that can make their way into your hike. Whether you’re lost in some music, or have your eyes locked on a device, taking focus off of the environment around you (even for a short amount of time) could end in some serious consequences. Not paying attention to where you’re going can cause you to run into something or someone, and could cause you to make a bad step and result in injury. Make sure to keep your focus on the trail.

8. Pace yourself

It is important to not push yourself too hard—especially if you are new to hiking or are not very active. The last thing you want is to end up injured in the middle of the trail.

While you can take all these precautions to stay safe, unfortunately, sometimes you can still become injured on your hike.

If you have been injured, and need legal assistance, call #1000 on your cell phone for free. We will offer you a free claim assessment.

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Do I have a concussion?

How to check and know what to do next.

Summer is a great time to be outside soaking up the warm weather and playing sports.

Picking up your favourite game like soccer or football can be great fun, but the fast pace and contact (intentional or unintentional) in these sports means it can be easy to get an injury while playing. A heading mishap or a bad hit could leave you with a concussion.

Reframe Health Lab, an educational health care resource has a guide to help guide you in knowing whether you’ve had a concussion and what to do next:

Concussions:

Concussions are a traumatic brain injury where the brain moves rapidly within the skull, causing bruising. They can be caused by a number of things, from falls to blows, and are followed by symptoms that can affect your physical abilities, thought abilities, emotions, and ability to sleep.

You can have suffered a concussion even if you didn’t lose consciousness, didn’t get a direct hit to the head and didn’t feel symptoms immediately. Getting hit elsewhere on your body can still shake your head and it can take up to 48 hours for symptoms to appear.

Signs and Symptoms:

There are a wide range of symptoms you should look for after a suspected concussion.

Physical symptoms can include headache, pressure in the head, neck pain, nausea/vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision, balance problems, sensitivity to light/noise, fatigue, drowsiness and trouble falling asleep.

There are also mental and emotional symptoms of a concussion including feeling slowed down, feeling in a fog, not feeling right, difficulty concentrating, difficulty remembering, confusion, being more emotional, irritability, sadness and nervousness/anxiousness.

Immediate Steps:

If you suspect you have a concussion you should immediately remove yourself from the game and rest.

If you experience a sudden change in symptoms or have severe headache/neck pain, repeated vomiting, seizure, slurred speech, confusion or unresponsiveness you need to go to the ER immediately because there may be a more serious problem that requires immediate attention.

However, even if you don’t have a sudden change in symptoms it’s a good idea to get a baseline assessment and general advice from a medical professional.

Going forward it’s important to take it easy by limiting stimulation, taking time off of work or school and using a diary to track what you do and how it feels. You can gradually build your activities back to what they were but being honest about how you feel is important as others cannot see that you have a concussion.

Fast dial #1000 free from your cell and we’ll get you the support you need.

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Help your children have a safe summer: how to avoid injuries at home

It’s that time of year again. The weather is getting warmer, pools are opening and children are getting ready for summer break.

But with time away from the classroom and more time spent playing and exploring, it is important to make sure your child’s safety is your number one priority. A great way to do this is to ensure your home is safe for their summer activities.

In order to help keep your children out of harm’s way the Canada Safety Council recommends a number of different actions you can take to make your home a safer place.

1. Communication

Talk with your children about injury prevention. This will help to build positive attitudes around safety. Making sure to incorporate safety into your summer plans will help children to learn about injury prevention through example.

2. Vehicles

Make sure to protect your keys, as well as ensure your car doors and trunk are locked when your car is parked at home. Children may try to get inside your car to play. This can result in them trying to drive or locking themselves inside. Also, do a walk-around check of your vehicle for anything that may be hiding in your blind spots before driving.

3. Windows and Balconies

Supervise children while they are on a balcony or near a screened window, and remove objects they can use to climb to a balcony or window ledge. Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injury causing hospitalization among children in Canada. Children can push through or fall from these places so it is important to protect children in these locations.

4. Blinds

Blind cords can pose a strangulation hazard to young children. Keep cords out of their reach, and cut and shorten the ends of looped cords. Another option is switching to curtains.

5. Swimming Pools

Do you have a pool at home? If so, swimmers should be supervised at all times and weak swimmers should always wear a life jacket or PFD. Backyard pools are the number one location where children under the age of five drown, and most are alone when it occurs.

6. Trampolines

Trampolines can be a fun summer toy for children to play with, but they can also be very dangerous. Children under the age of six shouldn’t be using a trampoline and adults should inspect the trampoline and supervise children while they use it. To prevent injury make sure children are using the trampoline one at a time, not jumping onto, or off of, the trampoline and not doing flips or somersaults.

7. Sun Protection

The warm weather in summer means your children will probably be playing outside. Make sure to protect them from the sun by applying SPF 15 or higher at least 20 minutes before going out and reapplying often. Also, children under the age of one should be kept out of the sun.

If you have been injured, and need legal assistance, call #1000 on your cell phone for free. We will offer you a free claim assessment.

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Top Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

 

We’re all aware that the old saying, “you step on a crack, you’ll break your mothers back”, is merely a fabrication chanted by children on the playground.

However, spinal cord injuries, while not instigated by kids stepping out of place on the sidewalk, are far more common then the general public is even aware of. The following are some of the top causes of spinal cord injuries to look out for:

  • Motor vehicle accidents.Auto and motorcycle accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries, accounting for more than 35 percent of new spinal cord injuries each year.
  • Spinal cord injury after age 65 is most often caused by a fall. Overall, falls cause more than one-quarter of spinal cord injuries.
  • Acts of violence.Around 15 percent of spinal cord injuries result from violent encounters, often involving gunshot and knife wounds, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center.
  • Sports and recreation injuries.Athletic activities, such as impact sports and diving in shallow water, cause about 9 percent of spinal cord injuries.
  • Alcohol use is a factor in about 1 out of every 4 spinal cord injuries.
  • Cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis and inflammation of the spinal cord also can cause spinal cord injuries.”

Unfortunately, you can’t always prevent these injuries from inflicting themselves on your body.

Fast dial #1000 free from your cell and we’ll get you the support you need.

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How to Avoid Bicycle Accidents this summer

Cycling is a fantastic way to get from point A to point B, just ask the hoards of individuals who swear by their two-wheeled morning commute. However, cyclists are at risk for injury each time they hit the streets.

Fortunately, if you are a cyclist, there are a variety of ways in which you can practice accident prevention and stay safe. Here are some of the leading causes of bike accidents and how to avoid them:

“The Right Cross

This is the most common way to get hit. A car is pulling out of a side street, parking lot, or driveway on the right.  Notice that there are actually two possible kinds of collisions here:  Either you’re in front of the car and the car hits you, or the car pulls out in front of you and you slam into it.

How to avoid this collision:

  1. Get a headlight. If you’re riding at night, you absolutely should be using a front headlight.  It’s required by law, anyway.  Even for daytime riding, a bright white light that has a flashing mode can make you more visible to motorists who might otherwise Right Cross you.  Look for the new LED headlights, which last ten times as long on a set of batteries as old-style lights.  And headlamps (mounted on your head or helmet) are the best, because then you can look directly at the driver to makesure they see your light.
  2. Wave. If you can’t make eye contact with the driver, wave your arm.  It’s easier for them to see your arm going left and right than it is for them to see a bicycle coming straight towards them.  You could also use a loud horn to get drivers’ attention.
  3. Slow down. If you can’t make eye contact with the driver (especially at night), slow down so much that you’re able to completely stop if you have to.  Sure, it’s inconvenient, but it beats getting hit.
  4. Ride further left.  When that driver is looking down the road for traffic, he’s not looking in the bike lane or the area closest to the curb; he’s looking in themiddleof the lane, for other cars.  The farther left you are, the more likely the driver will see you.  There’s an added bonus here: if the motorist doesn’t see you and starts pulling out, you may be able to go even farther left, or may be able to speed up and get out of the way before impact, or easily roll onto their hood as they slam on their brakes.

The Door Prize

A driver opens his door right in front of you.  You run right into it if you can’t stop in time.  This kind of crash is more common than you might think: It’s the second-most common car-bike crash in Toronto.

How to avoid this collision:

Ride to the left. Ride far enough to the left that you won’t run into any door that’s opened unexpectedly. You may be wary about riding so far into the lane that cars can’t pass you easily, but you’re more likely to get doored by a parked car if you ride too close to it than you are to get hit from behind by a car which can see you clearly.

The Right Hook

A car passes you and then tries to make a right turn directly in front of you, or right into you. They think you’re not going very fast just because you’re on a bicycle, so it never occurs to them that they can’t pass you in time. Even if you have to slam on your brakes to avoid hitting them, they often won’t feel they’ve done anything wrong. This kind of collision is very hard to avoid because you typically don’t see it until the last second, and because there’s nowhere for you to go when it happens.

How to avoid this collision:

  1. Don’t ride on the sidewalk.When you come off the sidewalk to cross the street you’re invisible to motorists. You’re just begging to be hit if you do this.
  2. Ride to the left.Taking up the whole lane makes it harder for drivers to pass you to cut you off or turn into you. Don’t feel bad about taking the lane: if motorists didn’t threaten your life by turning in front of or into you or passing you too closely, then you wouldn’t have to. If the lane you’re in isn’t wide enough for cars to pass you safely, then you should be taking the whole laneanyway.
  3. Glance in your mirror before approaching an intersection.(If you don’t have a handlebar or helmet mirror, get one now.) Be sure to look in your mirrorwell before you get to the intersection. When you’re actually going through an intersection, you’ll need to be paying very close attention to what’s in front of you.

The Rear End

You innocently move a little to the left to go around a parked car or some other obstruction in the road, and you get nailed by a car coming up from behind.

How to avoid this collision:

  1. Never, ever move left without looking behind you first.Some motorists like to pass cyclists within mere inches, so moving even a tiny bit to the left unexpectedly could put you in the path of a car. Practice holding a straight line while looking over your shoulder until you can do it perfectly. Most new cyclists tend to move left when they look behind them, which of course can be disastrous.
  2. Don’t swerve in and out of the parking lane if it contains any parked cars.You might be tempted to ride in the parking lane where there are no parked cars, dipping back into the traffic lane when you encounter a parked car. This puts you at risk for getting nailed from behind. Instead, ride a steady, straight line in the traffic lane.
  3. Use a mirror.If you don’t have one, get one from a bike shop. There are models that fit on your handlebars, helmet, or glasses, as you prefer. You should always physically look back over your shoulder before moving left, but having a mirror still helps you monitor traffic without constantly having to look behind you.
  4. Signal.Never move left without signaling. Just put your left arm straight out. Be sure to check your mirror or loo behind you before signaling (since a car passing too closely can take your arm out).”

By implementing these strategies into your cycling, you will dramatically decrease your risk of being involved in a collision.

If you have been injured, and need legal assistance, call #1000 on your cell phone for free. We will offer you a free claim assessment.

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Protect your Head: The Severity of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Unfortunately, traumatic brain injuries are all too common in our society and remain heavily misunderstood by the general population. If you’re looking to educate yourself on just how severely these injuries can impact the lives of sufferers, we’ve got you covered:

How are thinking and other aspects of cognition affected?

Individuals with a moderate-to-severe brain injury most typically experience problems in basic cognitive skills: sustaining attention, concentrating on tasks at hand, and remembering newly learned material. They may think slowly, speak slowly, and solve problems slowly. They may become confused easily when normal routines are changed or when the stimulation level from the environment exceeds their threshold. They may persevere at tasks too long, being unable to switch to a different tactic or a new task when encountering difficulties. Or, on the other hand, they may jump at the first “solution” they see, substituting impulsive responses for considered actions. They may be unable to go beyond a concrete appreciation of situations, to find abstract principles that are necessary to carry learning into new situations. Their speech and language may be impaired: word-finding problems, understanding the language of others, and the like.

A major class of cognitive abilities that may be affected by TBI is referred to as executive functions – the complex processing of large amounts of intricate information that we need to function creatively, competently and independently as beings in a complex world. Thus, after injury, individuals with TBI may be unable to function well in their social roles because of difficulty in planning ahead, in keeping track of time, in coordinating complex events, in making decisions based on broad input, in adapting to changes in life, and in otherwise “being the executive” in one’s own life.

With appropriate training and other supports, the person may be able to learn to compensate for some of these cognitive difficulties.

How are mood and behavior affected?

With TBI, the systems in the brain that control our social-emotional lives often are damaged. The consequences for the individual and for his or her significant others may be very difficult, as these changes may imply to them that “the person who once was” is “no longer there.” Thus, personality can be substantially or subtly modified following injury. The person who was once an optimist may now be depressed. The previously tactful and socially skilled negotiator may now be blurting comments that embarrass those around him/her. The person may also be characterized by a variety of other behaviors: dependent behaviors, emotional swings, lack of motivation, irritability, aggression, lethargy, being very uninhibited, and/or being unable to modify behavior to fit varying situations.

A very important change that affects many people with TBI is referred to as denial (or, lack of awareness): The person becomes unable to compare post-injury behavior and abilities with pre-injury behavior and abilities. For these individuals, the effects of TBI are, for whatever reason, simply not perceived – whether for emotional reasons, as a means of avoiding the pain of fully facing the consequences of injury, or for neurological reasons, in which brain damage itself limits the individual’s ability to step back, compare, evaluate differences, and reach a conclusion based on that process.

With appropriate training, therapy, and other supports, the person may be able to reduce the impact of some of these emotional and behavioral difficulties.

What other changes are likely after moderate/severe TBI?

Any of the ways we have of sensing/perceiving may be affected by TBI. Vision may be affected in many ways: loss of vision, blurred visual images, inability to track visual material, loss of parts of the field of vision, reduced depth perception, and sometimes disconnection between visual perception and visual comprehension, so that the person does not know what he or she is seeing. Changes also may occur in the senses of hearing, smell, taste, and touch; the individual may become overly sensitive or insensitive. Further, the person may have difficulty sensing the location of his/her own body in space. Other individuals with TBI may have recurring problems with balance, vertigo, and ringing in the ears.

A relatively small percent of individuals with TBI experience seizures. For most of these, the initial onset of seizures occurs soon after injury. For others, the onset may take place up to several years post-injury. Two types of seizures may occur. Major motor seizures refer to what were once called grand mal seizures and involve loss of consciousness and vigorous, uncontrolled movement of the major muscle systems. Local motor seizures do not lead to loss of consciousness and involve less muscle movement. Some individuals with TBI use anticonvulsive drugs to prevent seizures or stop them during the course of a seizure.

If motor areas of the brain are damaged, the person with TBI may experience varying degrees of physical paralysis or spasticity, affecting a wide variety of behavior from speech production to walking. Damage to brain tissue can also evidence itself in chronic pain, including headaches. Also, evidence is growing that hormonal, endocrine, and other body systems are affected by the brain injury. Consequently, the individual may lose control of bowel and bladder functions, may sleep poorly, may fatigue easily, may lose appetite for food or be unable to control eating, and/or may be unable to regulate body temperature within normal boundaries. Women with TBI often experience menstrual difficulties.”

Fast dial #1000 free from your cell and we’ll get you the support you need.

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How to Drive Safely during April Showers

Although they do us the favour of bringing May Flowers, April showers can have an unfortunate influence on our driving capabilities. Collisions can be far more common under these rainy conditions, so it’s imperative that you, as a driver, are prepared in case you come in contact with heavy rain while you’re on the road.

Here are some of the best strategies to drive effectively during April showers:

“In addition to the potentially poor visibility that accompanies most heavy rain, drivers should be ready to protect themselves against hydroplaning. Hydroplaning can occur when a vehicle is traveling too fast in heavy rain conditions, causing the vehicle’s tires to travel on a thin layer of water rather than grip the surface of the road. This has the potential to make steering and braking difficult and could even lead to losing control of your vehicle. Follow these tips to help you stay safe while driving in heavy rain.

Take your time

Slowing down is the only way to keep your vehicle from hydroplaning. Also remember that one of the most dangerous times to drive is soon after it begins to rain, as oils on roadway make for slick conditions. Waiting a few minutes, rather than rushing to your destination, can be a safer plan when it is raining.

Turn your lights on

Turn your headlights on to help other vehicles see you. Many states require the use of headlights during rain, even in broad daylight.

Give other vehicles more space

Add 1-2 extra seconds of following time in the rain, which gives you and the cars behind you more time to react to traffic.”

If you have been injured, and need legal assistance, call #1000 on your cell phone for free. We will offer you a free claim assessment.

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Driving Behaviours that Lead to Collisions

Unfortunately, each day many drivers are involved in collisions that impact not only the state of their vehicle, but their physical and mental health as well. However, as long as drivers avoid partaking in the following driving behaviours that commonly lead to collisions, they can minimize their risk of being involved in a crash:

“We believe we’re safer than we really are

Once we’ve learned how to drive it soon becomes an automatic task. Over time we learn how to predict the actions of other drivers, which can lead to the illusion that we control them. One area where people seem especially prone to error is in the judgment of relative speed: we tend to overestimate how much time can be saved by driving faster while also underestimating minimal safe braking distance. The computations needed to make these judgments are highly complex and don’t come naturally to us.

We forget that other drivers are people too…

When someone accidentally walks into us on the street or their shopping trolley bumps into ours, the usual reaction is to apologize and move on. But when driving, near misses are often met with instant anger – and in the most extreme cases, road rage. Research shows that drivers more readily dehumanize other drivers and pedestrians in ways they wouldn’t when interacting in person. This loss of inhibition is similar to the way some of us behave in online environments.

… Yet we behave more aggressively to those of ‘lower status’

One interesting paradox is that even though we’re prone to dehumanizing other drivers, we still act according to social status. Decades of research shows that prolonged honking, tailgating, and other aggressive behaviours are more likely if the aggressor believes they are the more important driver. What’s particularly interesting is that these judgments can be based simply on the vehicles involved, with no knowledge of the person behind the wheel: larger cars generally outrank smaller cars and newer cars trump older ones. Drivers of more expensive cars are also more likely to behave aggressively toward pedestrians.

We believe we can see everything happening around us …

Our senses receive far more information than we can process at once, which makes brain systems of attention crucial for focusing resources on the most important events. Most of the time we fail to appreciate the enormous amount of information we miss, and this can add to a false sense of security on the road.

… Yet we also think other drivers can’t see us

This one is for all the nose pickers and earwax excavators.

We attribute near misses to a lack of ability in other drivers …

In general, we fail to account for situational reasons as to why other drivers might get in our way or seem to act dangerously. Psychologists call this the fundamental attribution error – we tend to attribute the mistakes of others to their personality or ability (“what an idiot!”, “what a terrible driver!”), while excusing our own errors as situational (“that bit of road is dangerous”, “I had to drive that fast or I would have been late”).

… While at the same time overestimating our own skills

If you think you’re a highly skilled driver, the chances are you’re not. About 80-90% of drivers believe they have above-average ability, and the more skilled we believe we are at something, the less likely it is to be true. This tendency for us to be blind to our own incompetence is called the Dunning-Kruger effect. Of course, the upside is that if you believe you’re a terrible driver, you’re probably not as bad as you think.

We drive more recklessly when we’re going solo

We generally drive less carefully and more aggressively when we’re alone than when we have passengers. It isn’t clear why this is, or whether we’re conscious of this change in our behaviour.

We believe hands-free car phones are safe.

In the UK it is illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone while driving, whereas hands-free alternatives are allowed. This is a great example of the law lagging behind science: evidence shows that using a hands-free car phone is no less dangerous than talking on a hand-held mobile phone. What makes these phone conversations unsafe isn’t so much the act of holding the phone as being distracted by the conversation. The lack of body language makes such conversations especially demanding, requiring us to commit more cognitive resources and further distracting us from the road.”

 

Do you recognize yourself in any of the aforementioned behaviours? Don’t fret; you can take action every time you get behind the wheel to become a mindful driver. However, if you have been involved in a collision that was caused by the negligence of another individual, contact us today for a free consultation of your case.

 

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