The conversations on accidents from driving are often centered on driving under the influence of alcohol, which accounts for several incidents globally. However, there’s another cause of driving accidents that’s often overlooked: driving under the influence of… stress.
No alcohol, no other substance, but the driver is merely, plainly stressed. Uber and Ridesharing Forum stumbled upon this press release from a leading financial institution in the USA, State Farm, that tackled the links between stress and risky behavior on the road. Drivers trying to make advances, or threats of assault? You got it.
The story was written by State Farm’s director of consumer and technology insights, Mr. Wey, which Ridesharing Forum is going to share with you today. He is the perfect researcher for this since he has also experienced it first-hand.
“Combating the issue of distracted driving is part of my daily routine: both in the office and on the road. As a father of two teenagers who will soon be driving on their own, I’ve been working hard to role model the right behaviors for them,” the State Farm representative told Ridesharing Forum.
So, with State Farm, he led a team of researchers to regularly collaborate with industry partners to decrease the number of human lives affected by stress-induced distracted driving every year “through injuries and fatalities.”
Their research found that over 65 percent of drivers aged 22 to 40 years old would look away from the road for a few seconds, rather than risk themselves in road accidents, just like looking away from your computer and onto the green trees where you feel stressed or your eyes feel some strain.
“The research also showed: When drivers have items on their “to-do” list, 27 percent said they become more distracted. Another 17 percent reported that being upset or stressed led to participating in more dangerous activities while driving,” State Farm went on.
Thus, they concluded that increased stress causes a driver to get distracted, breaking their focus behind the wheel and increasing their risk of a car crash.
So, to avoid these, what should drivers do? It could be as simple as disconnecting from the causes of stresses in this world. It isn’t easy, but doable. Unplug yourself for a while, and disconnect.
“When we think of mindful driving as a way to reduce stress and boost our well-being, it might inspire more of us to limit distraction while on the road and save a life, including our own,” State Farm noted.
That’s the State Farm research as featured by Ridesharing Forum. State Farm is a well-known financial institution that helps people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and thus, realize their dreams.
In its actuality, State Farm is a mutual insurance company. Meaning to say, it is owned by the policyholders rather than shareholders, offering various insurance products – car, home, and life – and financial services. It basically uses a network of exclusive, local agents for personalized service, merged with online and mobile app options for quotes, policy management, and claims processing. Happy weekend, folks!