Reasons of driver error

Within the category of driver mistake lays a variety of different types of heavy behaviors that lead to car accidents. Driver mistake is most often the result of “distracted driving.” By far the most common cause of driver distraction is the use of cell phones. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), 25% of all automobile crashes are related to cell phone use, whether by chatting on the phone or texting. Why is this the case? Much of our decision-making while driving is a result of the “Myth of Multitasking”, as described in a recent study by the NSC. Medical studies have shown that the human brain is physiologically incapable of performing two important tasks as the same time. Rather, the brain engages in “micro-tasking.” The brain handles only one task at a time, but it switches very rapidly, back and forth between competing tasks. Because the brain cannot adequately process all of the information coming in, the brain selects to process only a part of the information. The result? We fall victim to the assumption that we are dealing with both tasks sufficiently, when in fact we are not effectively accomplishing either task.