You may have heard about mindful eating and mindful living. A number of experts have suggested when we put our focus on whatever it is we’re doing—whether it’s eating or completing everyday tasks—we get better outcomes. With food, we are less likely to overeat. With work, we are less likely to make errors.
Maybe it’s time for mindful driving, too.
We all know the dangers of driving. However, alcohol is not the only thing which can impair your ability to operate a vehicle safely. Strong emotions, daydreaming, poor sleep and a host of other issues can also impact your ability to get to your destination without a collision.
It’s a good practice to get into the habit of becoming more mindful when you drive. Instead of zoning out when you’re behind the wheel, try these ideas, instead, to get mindful:
- Make it a practice to check in with yourself: Are you too upset to drive? Are you too focused on a problem at work? If you are not in a good head space to drive before you get in the car, make sure you bring your focus back to driving. Calm down or take a moment to deal with the distraction rather than driving. Once you are in the car, periodically check in with yourself. Can you remember the last few seconds of driving? If not, you might be losing focus on the task at hand.
- Switch up your route: Driving the same route every day can make it harder to focus. Consider changing your route to stay more alert.
- Put away distractions: In addition to mobile devices, put away your briefcase, purse, or anything else which can tempt you to look away from the road for just a second. Even a hands-free conversation on your cell phone or an absorbing audio book can remove your focus from the road.
- Practice smart time management: Focusing on one thing at a time means you need to organize your time efficiently and remove any tasks you don’t really need to complete.
- Drive defensively: Defensive driving asks you to keep scanning the road and planning at least three moves ahead. This can keep you from daydreaming while you drive and can make you a safer driver overall.
- Take care of yourself: Get adequate sleep, rest, hydration, exercise, and food. Take care not to overburden yourself or your to-do list. Proper self-care lets you focus correctly on what you need to do, which includes driving.
Distracted driving has long been linked to accidents in Hollywood and other communities across South Florida and across the country. If you have been in a collision caused by a distracted driver, contact Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) for a free accident consultation with a Hollywood car accident attorney.
The team at Flaxman Law Group has more than 60 years of combined experience and conveniently located offices in Hollywood, Homestead, and Miami. We serve the entire South Florida area and can come visit you if you are too injured to travel to one of our offices. Your first consultation with our team is free of charge and comes with no obligation, so you can make your next decision from a position of strength.