The World is at the Mercy of your Hands

The world is at the mercy of your hands. Literally, as a driver you are not only responsible for your safety, your passenger’s safety but also the world around you. One skill we are taught in preparation for our driving tests is scanning your environment: know what is happening in front of you, beside you and behind you. Driving is an active skill and should be practiced as such. Picture this: Your alarm sounds. You are dreading getting out of bed and embarking on the hour-long car ride to work. You quickly put on your uniform and head out the door. Your favourite tune comes on and before you know it, you are at work. Your co-worker asks how the commute went but when you stop to reflect, you realize you hadn’t really paid attention. You were in autopilot for the entire ride and don’t remember a thing. Have you ever experienced that? I know I have, and I am not alone. According to a study done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ¹“ Eighty-four percent of distracted driving related fatalities in the US were tied to the general classification of carelessness or inattentiveness”. Distracted driving reduces reaction times and, therefore, increases the likelihood of be involved in a car accident.

The form of distracted driving described in the story above is called highway hypnosis. “Highway hypnosis or white line fever is a trance-like state under which a person drives a motor vehicle in a normal, safe manner yet has no recollection of having done so²”. Why does this happen? For many of us, driving is a highly overlearned task. For this reason, the task of everyday driving such as lane and speed maintenance, for example, can happen automatically³. Therefore, education and awareness of human psychology is so important in reducing the number of deaths by distracted driving. It is well reported that distracted driving leads to car accidents. According to the Canadian Automobile Association, “Distracted driving fatalities have surpassed those caused by impaired driving in some parts of Canada” (This information was published by Traffic Injury Research Foundation, 2019)⁴. Simply put, distracted driving kills. Keep this in mind the next time you get behind the wheel: the world is at the mercy of your hands.

Having more campaigns focused on education and awareness of driving mind states, for example, is one way to reduce the number of deaths by distracted driving. It’s important to feel confident behind a wheel, in addition, to receiving adequate training. We are all human and naturally deal with a wide variety of emotions, so it is important to do a self-check before driving. Regulating how you’re feeling allows you to determine how to address the issue and prepare you for the task of driving. For example, if you are tired, you can drink a caffeinated beverage, keep the interior of the vehicle cool and/or engage in conversation with a passenger to help you stay alert.⁵ The above steps can also assist with combating highway hypnosis as does driving during the day.⁵ Taking part in these steps when you find yourself in highway hypnosis or any other form of distraction, in addition to, comprehensive driver education could save lives. Driver education teaches you the necessary skills and rules to drive safely but continued campaigns will help reinforce the knowledge which will lead to reduced number of accidents.

I have been fortunate not to be involved in a car accident, but I have seen the struggle of a close friend who was involved in one. It can be life changing experience that occurs within seconds based on the decision you make as a driver. Her accident was caused by a distracted driver who crossed the center line and drove headfirst into her vehicle. The decision that driver made, i.e., being distracted, changed my friend’s life forever. I also work directly with patients who have been involved in car accidents and I’ve seen the impacts a few seconds makes on someone’s life. For example, an uber driver doing her job of helping people get around for extra cash, had her life turned upside down at the hands of a distracted driver. Remember, not all broken bones can be repaired, and some accidents can be crippling but all accidents change the lives of others regardless of the seriousness. There is a ripple effect of pain and suffering for friends and family of those who have been involved in car accidents as well. Many patients are left with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to being involved in or seeing car accidents. Keep this in mind the next time you get behind the wheel: the world is at the mercy of your hands.

To become a better and safer driver, I start by conducting a self-assessment to ensure that I am in my active mind state. It is important to be comfortable in the driver seat: can you reach the pedals easily, are your windows cleared, are your mirrors adjusted?  Next, I ensure that my passengers and I have seatbelts on. Anytime I’m with a friend who is driving irresponsibly, I voice my concerns. The best way to do this is by being direct and making it about them. For example, saying things like, “Why are you driving so fast?”, can help your friend get back in their active driving state. Remember, it is not cool to have your life, or the life of a friend or family member altered by the actions of a distracted driver. Keep this in mind the next time you get behind the wheel: the world is at the mercy of your hands.