Have you ever had the impression of traveling on a lengthy road trip or even your usual work commute and suddenly arriving at your destination without recall of the time in between? Highway hypnosis, often known as white line fever, occurs when autopilot kicks in, or your highway exit appears to approach too soon. Highway hypnosis can often cause accidents, and if you have been in such a situation, you should immediately seek the help of an Auburn car accident lawyer.
Understanding highway hypnosis
Highway hypnosis is a trance-like condition that drivers enter when driving for an extended period on a flat road or when navigation is set to autopilot. Highway hypnosis is sometimes known as white line fever because the white line on the road can have a hypnotic effect, causing the motorist to operate subconsciously.
Many times, drivers will reach safely at their destination while in a condition of highway hypnosis, with no recall of utilizing turn signals or brakes or observing road signs. The hypnosis might last from a few minutes to a whole night of driving.
The brain is unaware or mindful of what is happening on the road during road hypnosis. The reaction time slows, increasing the likelihood of an accident. Road hypnosis is a type of distracted driving since it can lead to an accident or collision, such as running a red light or colliding with the automobile in front of you.
What causes highway hypnosis?
This trance-like driving condition is caused by automaticity. When we acquire a new skill, our brains learn the optimum technique by remembering what to do and what not to do based on the outcome. With automaticity, human learning becomes less about memorizing knowledge and more about responding automatically.
By repeating an activity, our brains stop depending on conscious deliberation, considering choices before deciding on a solution. Instead, our brains respond quickly and automatically as a result of repetition. When we travel long distances or commute often, the brain may forgo the need to comprehend information and instead rely on programmed behavioral reactions.
When we first start driving, everything is so fresh to us. We become used to the brakes in the automobile, are hyper-aware of traffic signals, and maintain two hands on the steering wheel. However, with skill and repetition, driving turns into second nature.
Road hypnosis occurs when our brains move from analyzing our environment to a hypnotic state of practicing driving without even thinking about the activities done while driving.