Distracted driving makes headlines for obvious safety reasons. Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) drivers that eat, text, or place calls while behind the wheel have their attention pulled in several directions. Their focus is split between the road and what’s in their hands, both of which make them less able to react to what’s going on around them. However, attentional blindness can be just as dangerous as even a seemingly focused driver can overlook what’s happening right in front of them.
What Is Attentional Blindness?
The concept has been around since the early 1990s. Scientists at MIT performed experiments that show our mind’s eye is in control of what we see and perceive which can affect individuals’ expectations of what they should see rather than what they actually see. This occurs because human minds can’t process every piece of data they see. Instead, the human mind prioritizes what it observes and then fills in any missing pieces to provide a continuous experience. As a result, drivers can miss obvious things that are happening before their eyes, such as a pedestrian using a crosswalk or a motorcycle in front of the CMV.
Unfortunately, unlike distracted driving, there isn’t a simple solution for attentional blindness. Driver’s can’t tell their brains to stop performing a basic function like they can put away their cellphones. However, drivers can take numerous steps to try to reduce the effects:
- Pick up on roadside cues. It’s easy for an inattentive brain to overlook a pedestrian preparing to cross the road or a child darting into the street to retrieve a ball. However, if drivers key in on pedestrian crossing or children at play signs, their brains automatically become more alert and on the lookout for these things.
- Remove unnecessary distractions. Knowing that their brains already restrict their perception of the road, drivers need to remove all other distractions that compound the issue. This means programming the GPS before hitting the road and putting away the cellphone upon firing up the engine.
- Drive with others in mind. This doesn’t just mean driving safely because it’s part of the job. It also includes being prepared to react to other drivers experiencing attentional blindness. Using turn signals, maintaining a safe following distance, and spotting distracted drivers can help commercial truckers avoid overlooking the obvious.
Improving attentional blindness is a team effort. While drivers can take steps to improve their focus, fleet managers need to identify areas of safety strengths and weaknesses. Investing in telematics can simplify and expedite this process. By encouraging good behaviors and working to mitigate undesirable ones, managers can improve fleet safety. Contact the experts at DriverCheck to learn more.
