Highway hypnosis, also called “white-line fever,” puts vehicle operators in a trance-like state on the roads as they travel. Drivers only find they have unwittingly entered that state when startled out of the trance, often upon collision with another vehicle, road obstacle, or pedestrian.
All drivers are obligated to practice safe driving behaviors and avoid unsafe ones. This means that vehicle operators need to be aware of the potential for highway hypnosis and develop strategies to avoid it.
Most people think of hypnosis as something that occurs in a medical situation, carried out by a licensed psychologist or other professional. However, motor vehicle accidents happen for a variety of reasons, highway hypnosis being one of them.
The personal injury lawyers at Osborne & Francis have been fighting for injury victims since 2015 and have secured substantial, much-deserved compensation for motor vehicle accident victims.
If you’ve been injured by a driver with highway hypnosis or are a driver seeking retribution from a negligent employer causing it, reach out to us online or by phone at (561) 293-2600 and get the compensation you deserve.
You may have experienced the strange phenomenon of entering your motor vehicle to drive to a destination but then arriving at that destination with no real memory of the actual journey you took to get there.
If so, you have experienced highway hypnosis. This dangerous condition can affect drivers undertaking short or long trips, so it is important to be alert to its effects any time you operate a vehicle.
Highway hypnosis lulls drivers into a trance-like state. Vehicle operators essentially “zone out.” This zone-out may be short, only lasting a few yards, or extend for hundreds of miles or an entire trip.
This looming danger leads many drivers to wonder, how can you avoid highway hypnosis?
Drivers under highway hypnosis demonstrate driving automaticity. The American Psychological Association (APA) defines automaticity as “the quality of a behavior or mental process that can be carried out rapidly and without effort or explicit intention.”
In the case of highway hypnosis, driving becomes automatic, a behavior carried out through muscle memory and without much thought.
Though the effects of each are similar, highway hypnosis differs from fatigued driving. Drowsy or fatigued driving affects those who are sleep-deprived or drive long hours without proper rest. Highway hypnosis can affect even the well-rested.
Under some laws, if a party fails to fulfill a duty of reasonable care, and you can prove that an act of negligence caused you harm, you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries and losses. Driving in a state of highway hypnosis is a form of negligence.
Unfortunately, not all drivers fulfill their safety obligations and harm others as a result.
If you have been hurt in a highway hypnosis accident or any other type of motor vehicle collision, reach out to our car accident attorneys at Osborne & Francis online or by calling us directly at (561) 293-2600. We are here to help.
Highway hypnosis is a driving condition that can result from routine. When you take the same routes every day (or almost every day)–to school, work, the childcare center, for example–your muscle memory takes over the job. Your brain shuts off until you arrive at your destination.
It can also happen on longer trips, which allows more time for your mind to wander away from the task at hand. Journeys on highways may also prompt highway hypnosis. These trips are typically on more monotonous roads and require fewer changes in direction or speed.
Knowing how to avoid highway hypnosis is important if you want to drive safely. Every driver on the road has a legal obligation to all others on the roads to avoid highway hypnosis. Strategies for avoiding this hazard include:
After an accident, the priority is ensuring your health and safety. Even if you do not need emergency care, you should still plan to see a doctor promptly–within hours or a day at most.
At the scene, exchange contact and insurance information with others involved if you are able, and begin collecting evidence by taking photos of the accident scene environment and getting contact information from witnesses.
Osborne & Francis is prepared to handle your case regardless of the type of vehicle involved in your accident. Our attorneys have won millions for victims involved in car, truck, and motorcycle accidents.
Our semi-truck accident lawyers have a full understanding of the specific regulations in place for commercial and semi-truck operators established by the Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA). We fight to hold drivers, companies, or other relevant parties responsible for violations that cause you harm.
Motorcyclists are not immune to highway hypnosis. They can also be injured by other affected drivers. Our motorcycle accident lawyers can help bikers get the compensation needed for recovery and acknowledge their pain and suffering.
Car accidents happen for a range of reasons, and we can help no matter your situation. Along with distracted driving and highway hypnosis, five habits that lead to car accidents include:
Call Osborne & Francis for help holding unsafe drivers accountable and getting the compensation you deserve. Determining the accident’s cause and identifying the at-fault party improves your chances at a successful case outcome.
In the most tragic cases, highway hypnosis leads to fatal accidents. If your loved one was killed by a negligent driver, our team will guide you through the wrongful death claims process with compassion. You can count on us to put the full power of our knowledge, experience, and resources into securing maximum compensation for your financial and emotional losses.
Our team has the experience and resources to carry out a full investigation to find that cause and collect evidence to prove the at-fault party’s negligence caused your injuries and quantifiable damages. We will assess the value of your losses, fighting for the highest settlement or verdict award possible.
Osborne & Francis is a firm committed to getting the job done–and that job is securing justice for injury victims. Do not pay for someone else’s negligence. Your injuries have cost you enough. Put your case in our hands, and we will do what it takes to deliver the most favorable resolution possible. Contact us online or call (561) 293-2600 today to get started on your potential claim.
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