Daydreaming is the leading cause of fatal distractions

By |2022-01-05T17:56:52+00:00April 19th, 2018|

In what might come as a surprise to some residents of the Orange County area, the leading cause of fatal car accidents that are related to distracted driving is not the misuse of mobile devices behind the wheel, although this certainly ranks high on the list of deadly distractions. Instead, a driver allowing his or her mind wander from the task at hand, via daydreaming or drifting off, is the leading cause of fatal accidents related to distracted driving. A recent report suggested that 61 percent of such accidents were attributed to daydreaming, whereas only 14 percent were attributed to cell phone use, like texting and driving.

The problem with daydreaming is that a person can engage in it without even really thinking about it. As opposed to someone who reaches for his or her cell phone or other mobile device, someone who is daydreaming may not even realize that they no longer pay attention to the road until it is too late.

Still, it can be helpful for a person to remember, before getting behind the wheel, which is not a good time to relax and let one’s mind unwind, as tempting of a thought as that may be. A distracted driver is still a distracted driver, even if he or she was distracted only by his or her own thoughts or imagination.

It is the obligation of California motorists to give full physical and mental attention to their driving, as not doing so, even for a few seconds, can be a deadly mistake. When a driver does not live up to this obligation and causes a serious or deadly accident, they may be held financially liable for the damages they cause.

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Doug Easton has practiced law since 1971. After 20 years of practicing with various large litigation firms, he founded the Law Offices of W. Douglas Easton in 1991 as a solo practitioner. In the years that followed, Doug’s sons Brian and Matt joined him in the practice and helped build the firm into a powerful force to help right the wrongs done to their clients. Much of their success over the years has stemmed from the dynamic created by the familial nature of the firm and how harmoniously they all work together, each of their individual strengths complementing and fortifying the group as a whole. Accordingly, the firm changed its name to Easton & Easton, LLP in 2014 to better reflect the true dynamic of the firm and Doug now serves as Managing Partner of Easton & Easton. In 2015, Doug was selected as a Top 100 Litigation Lawyer in California by The American Society of Legal Advocates. In addition, Doug is listed in Strathmore’s Who’s Who, and in 2008 was named its “Professional of the Year” in Medical Malpractice.
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