• February 10, 2020 /
• Driving /
• By admin /
• 0 Comments

“Wow, I’m home. I don’t even remember driving back from work.”

“Am I at work already? That was quick. It seems like I took the car out of the garage just a few minutes ago.”

If these snippets ring a bell, the chances are that you let your mind wander while driving… and that’s dangerous. Extremely dangerous!  

Similar to external distractions that are caused by another person or technology, internal distractions like your mind wandering and daydreaming can lead to catastrophic, life-threatening accidents.

In fact, mind-wandering is recognized as a significant source of driver distraction.

What causes peoples’ minds to wander?

There are no specific reasons for mind-wandering. People’s mind strolls all the time, and generally, they shrug it off as random zoning out.

However, it’s important to know that it’s the brain’s default state to wander to more interesting things when a situation is not stimulating.

According to research, people’s minds wander upwards of 70% of the time during simulated driving.

It’s very common for the mind to drift when performing a monotonous and repetitive task like driving, especially on empty roads.

Here are some useful tips to stop your mind from wandering:

Listen to music

Adding deliberate distractions like playing music in the background will stimulate your mind and keep you from daydreaming.

But you must carefully select the playlist to ensure that the songs don’t take your mind off the road and cause distractions.

If you’re listening to the radio, it’s important that you concentrate and focus on your surroundings.

READ: The Love Of Listening To Music And The Radio While Driving Is Not Dead

Take control of your emotions

The mind wanders when it’s not experiencing a stimulating environment. But it also drifts when you don’t have your emotions in check.

For instance, if you fought with your partner or had a rough day in the office, it’s easy for you to get lost in your thoughts and lose focus.

You can prevent that by taking control of your emotions, thinking objectively, and planning accordingly.

Driving lessons can help!

Taking driving lessons from professionals can help you learn more about road safety and enjoy greater peace of mind when driving on the road.

Your instructor will evaluate your driving skills and identify problems that could possibly lead to a hazardous situation, including mind wandering.

For instance, if you subconsciously lose your focus from the road when driving on empty roads, they can design a holistic driving solution to help you overcome this problem.

At Jacob’s Driving School, we offer professional driving classes at competitive rates. Book a lesson today! Our service areas include Waddell, Avondale, Tempe, and Young town in Arizona. To find out more about our services, give us a call at (602) 297-1000.