Nearly 40,000 people died in car accidents last year. While you can point to all of the specific mistakes — speeding, drinking and driving, etc — is there something deeper at work? Is the real issue that drivers are just too selfish to drive safely?
A self-focused mindset can guide harmful behavior
It’s a question that is worth asking, as someone’s mindset definitely dictates how they drive. And, if that mindset is just focused on themselves, they could put others at risk.
One example is distracted driving. Someone who spends too much time looking at the phone is more worried about the things going on in their life that they are on keeping other people safe. They are willing to risk other people’s lives to read or send that text message. They may not see it that way, but that’s the problem. They’re only thinking about their own behavior, not how it could change someone else’s life forever.
Another example is speeding. Basic physics tells us that an accident at a higher rate of speed is going to be more violent and therefore more likely to lead to injury to death. We also know that speeding drivers are more likely to crash due to reduced control and reaction times.
For that speeding driver, though, all they are thinking about is how they’re running late or how they want to get to their destination sooner. Once again, they’re putting other people’s lives at risk just based on their own desires. It’s a selfish way to drive.
After you’re in a crash, seek help
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to fix someone else’s mindset. If one of these reckless, selfish drivers causes a crash that injures you or a loved one, you need to know what steps to take after that crash.
