Seeing the Humanness of Other Drivers to Prevent North Carolina Car Accidents
According to journalist and traffic research specialist, Tom Vanderbilt, author of Traffic, one major cause of car accidents in North Carolina and elsewhere is our inability to appreciate the “humanness” of other drivers in the road.
Vanderbilt’s idea appeals, intuitively. It’s true: we often DO behave on the road in ways that we would never behave in real life. Imagine if someone accidentally stepped in front of you in line at the supermarket. Would you scream at them and try to push them out of the way? Not unless you had a serious psychological problem. Yet we often engage in just that kind of that behavior on the freeway. Imagine someone cutting in front of you at an exit ramp. You might feel no compunction blasting your horn and even yelling epithets out the window at the person.
This breakdown of driving decorum could be rooted in evolutionary psychology.
Prior to the advent of modern transportation, people had to deal with one another on normal human speeds. Even when people rode horses or other animals, you at least see the other riders and recognize them as human. But when you see someone tooling around in a Hummer, all you see is the Hummer: you completely miss the person inside the vehicle!
Since we did not evolve to coexist with fast moving, large, potentially lethal objects (e.g. cars, buses, motorcycles, vans, etc), we have a very difficult time emotionally grasping that these vehicles actually contain people inside them who are vulnerable like we are. Our reptile brains just see threatening monster-like automatons.
How do we get around this “can’t see the humanness in other drivers” problem?
You obviously can’t change the world by yourself. But you can influence your own behavior. The next time you’re out on the road, and someone cuts you off or does something that’s untoward, instead of reacting mindlessly with rage and hostility, take a breath. Try to understand the feelings and needs of the person inside that vehicle. You can still be angry, of course. But recognize both your own humanity – including your vulnerabilities – and the humanity of the other driver. You might find yourself surprisingly resourceful and calm in moments where you might otherwise panic and resort to desperate measures.
For help dealing with the consequences of an auto accident, connect with a car accident law firm in North Carolina. Find out how you might be able to get justice and obtain appropriate compensation for your medical bills, lost time at work, injuries, and so forth.
More Web Resources:
The Thesis of Tom Vanderbilt’s Traffic
Seeing the Humanness in Other Drivers
