New research has shown that drivers who try to drive while angry may be putting their lives at risk. The new data shows that emotional drivers; drivers who are sad, angry, or agitated, are twice as likely to crash their vehicles compared to drivers who are using their phones. Drivers who felt overwhelmed by their emotions are more likely to be in an automobile accident compared to model drivers.
Millions of drivers participated in the survey, and researchers hope the results of the survey will help car manufacturers, governments, and drivers come up with ideas to help make the roads safer for everyone. To figure out what is influencing so many crashes, United States researchers added cameras, microphones, and sensors to over 3,000 vehicles.
The researchers recorded every movement that the drivers made during their travels for two years. This allowed the researchers to study the direct cause of what was happening in the crucial few seconds leading to an accident. The vehicles traveled over 30 million miles and were involved in hundreds of serious crashes. Most of the accidents were caused by errors or distractions and not vehicle issues such as having a flat tire. The hidden cameras also showed that a person’s attitude negatively impacted their driving performance.
Many of the drivers were shown to be sad, angry, or in some cases; openly crying. The results of the study have shown that driving while under emotional stress is more dangerous than driving while sleepy, talking to a passenger, or driving while playing with the radio. Researchers can confirm that while driving under emotional stress is not as common as other dangerous driving behaviors, it occurs more frequently than people would expect. Researchers believe that the data points out how people who got into an argument before jumping into their vehicle and pulling off are more likely to tailgate, speed, and aggressively flash their lights. If a driver is in a bad mood, they can be easily distracted.
Dialing on a phone while driving also has a high likelihood of causing a crash, according to the National Academy of Sciences. Driving while under the influence remains a dangerous risk, while poor driving, including failing to give way or breaking too quickly, can also lead to an accident. However, the odds of an accident decrease when the driver is talking to a child. Researchers believe that happens because drivers thought about their young passengers.
The data in this survey has clearly identified how driving while under emotional distress affects your ability to commute safely. If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident, we urge that you seek legal representation. Contact Ohio Accident Attorneys today to get in touch with an experienced auto accident attorney in your area.