As summer comes to a close and the school year approaches ahead, your teen might be gearing up to drive themselves to school perhaps for the first time. Of course, this is often a big and sometimes scary experience, especially for you as parents.
One of the best things you can do is prepare for the potential hurdles your child may face while on the road. One of the biggest issues comes in the form of inattentional blindness. But what is it, and how can you prepare for it?
What is inattentional blindness?
The American Psychological Association takes a look at inattentional blindness and how it affects drivers. Inattentional blindness is a natural phenomenon that actually helps in daily life, under most circumstances. It allows you to focus on one specific thing and block out superfluous information and details. In essence, you “blind” yourself to the things you do not need to focus on.
Why is it a detriment to drivers?
But when this happens while someone is driving, the results often end up disastrous. After all, multitasking is one of the crucial components of driving that keeps drivers safe. Without it, your teen can easily end up focusing on one thing and missing a danger right in front of them.
While inattentional blindness can strike anyone at any time, young and new drivers may struggle to identify when it happens. This can end in a bigger chance of getting involved in crashes. To help cut down on this, make sure your teen knows the importance of multitasking and not hyper-focusing on any one thing while behind the wheel.
