Monitoring the road is a basic requirement imposed on all drivers. People can’t navigate traffic safely unless they are aware of all obstacles and nearby vehicles. People need to constantly scan the road ahead and their surroundings for signs of danger.
They should follow all applicable traffic laws as they operate motor vehicles and respond appropriately to changing conditions. Unfortunately, many people struggle to follow the law and may not prioritize surveillance as much as they should. They could then cause collisions that produce property damage or serious physical injuries.
Sometimes, crashes do not involve two enclosed motor vehicles. Instead, drivers might strike pedestrians, motorcycles or cyclists. After collisions involving smaller vehicles or people on foot, drivers may claim that they couldn’t see the other party before the crash. How can people overlook large objects in traffic?
People mentally focus on safety concerns
The amount of incoming visual information that people have to assess in traffic is extreme. In urban areas and on roads with higher speed limits, it can be particularly challenging for people to constantly monitor their surroundings and react appropriately.
The brain tends to prioritize details that could lead to injury or worse. Smaller vehicles and pedestrians do not necessarily represent a safety risk so much as a liability concern. The brain may not focus on these objects unless drivers intentionally think about looking for them. Intentional blindness means that people can look at objects in traffic without cognitively recognizing them.
Distraction is another pressing issue
People don’t notice people and other vehicles if they don’t look at the road ahead. Distracted driving has always been a concern, but it has become more ubiquitous with the rise of mobile technology.
Modern drivers often interact with their mobile phones or with built-in screens in their vehicles while driving at high speeds. They put themselves and everyone else at risk. Their distraction increases the likelihood that they could overlook safety-critical information, including the presence of pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycle riders nearby.
Those hurt in motor vehicle collisions caused by distracted driving or surveillance shortcomings may be able to hold the driver at fault accountable. Filing an insurance claim or a lawsuit may help people pay for their medical costs and cover their lost wages after they get hurt by inattentive motorists.