The last two months of the year have two major holidays. For many families, this is not only an exhilarating time of year, but also a very stressful season simply because there is so much to do. Unfortunately, stress can be a major contributor to traffic accidents in Hollywood and other communities for a number of reasons:
1) Stress can lead to fatigue.
Experts agree that fatigued driving in Hollywood and all communities can lead to collisions. In fact, research has shown that tired drivers have some of the same slowed response times as drunk drivers and make some of the same mistakes behind the wheel. In some cases, drivers get so fatigued that they fall asleep while driving, causing their car to veer off the road.
2) Stress can mean distraction.
Having too much to do can mean that you end up focusing on your to-do list rather than what’s in front of you. When driving, this type of distraction can be deadly. Even if your eyes are on the road and your hands are on the wheel, if your mind is wandering because you are worried or anxious, you can miss important cues and end up causing a collision.
3) Stress can lead to road rage.
Feeling overwhelmed can lead to frustration and even feelings of anger or depression. Safety experts agree that strong emotions can lead to aggressive driving, road rage, and even distracted driving. When you are upset, it can be hard to focus on the road and you may use poor judgment. If someone cuts you off or makes a mistake and you are upset, it can be easier to lose control and respond aggressively.
4) Stress can affect judgment and response times.
If you are upset and overwhelmed, you may be so focused on how you feel that you take longer to respond to cues – such as traffic lights or other cars slowing down – and that can lead to rear-end collisions in Hollywood or your community. You can also get flustered when you are stressed, and this can cause you to make mistakes on the road.
5) Stress can lead to medical emergencies.
Having a panic attack, cardiac episode, or other stress-related event while driving can cause you to lose control of your vehicle and cause a crash. We now know that stress can lead to immediate health problems – such as a rise in blood pressure or a panic attack – as well as long-term issues.
It can be difficult to avoid stress at this time of year, especially if you have a family, hectic job, and social life. However, there are things you can do to reduce stress to reduce your risk of a collision:
- Get plenty of sleep
- Take good care of yourself
- Make time for yourself each day
- Consider keeping a journal or going to the gym to work out feelings of frustration
- Don’t take on too much for the holidays and find ways to delegate some of your tasks so that you can enjoy the season, too
- If you are feeling unwell or overwhelmed, consider a visit to a doctor or a counselor for help
Of course, few things are as stressful as being injured or being in a car accident. If this happens to you, allow the law firm of Flaxman Law Group to take on some of the burden. Contact our offices for a no cost, no obligation consultation. Our full service law firm has the resources to handle every detail of your case so that you don’t have to spend your time and energy on the legal details.