spacing out while driving

[Princess123]

Is it just me or does anyone else do this? I will be driving and then some time later I'll be in that oh I'm in my car. It's like I step out and I'm lost in thought about something... I still manage to drive fine. I'll leave somewhere 30 minutes later I'm almost at home and I'm like ok I did it again. I know this doesn't sound safe. I don't know how to explain it entirely. I get in my car and within minutes I'm thinking about something else, almost like I'm imagining being somewhere or I'm really lost in thought or something... but almost like I'm not driving still. It's as I suddenly don't remember driving by these last few miles. I am there and realize when to slow down though. One time I went even 20 minutes farther from my house because I was "completely out of it" I suppose you could say.

[badcat3]

This happens to me to a lesser degree (spacing out for 5 or 10 minutes while already driving), especially if I'm deep in thought and/or really tired. It freaks me out so I avoid highway driving whenever possible.

[Seraphim]

Not too often no. Usually only if I have a migraine and I am trying to focus on other things to control the pain. Other than that I am in the moment when driving.

[Princess123]

I almost always do this. It never seems to fail. Every time I drive, it happens. I remember when it first happened though and I had someone in the car with me, they had to snap me out... I almost crashed.

[thejigsup]

I used to do this and then I read a statistic that this is responsible for more highway accidents and deaths than drunk driving. I now make it a point to be "totally there" whenever I drive.

[annie24]

I don't drive, but I do think it is easy to space out when you are doing something kind of 'routine' that doesn't require a lot of active thought (like solving math problems). but obviously, yes, as jig points out, inattention can be deadly. so try to find some way to really focus on the road and traffic. don't let your brain just drift off. all it takes a split second for a pedestrian to dart out in front of you or the car in front of you to hit the brakes and then cause an accident! very dangerous.

 

I don't know what you can do - maybe say out loud street names as you are passing them? or talk the directions out loud (left on Main, continue straight?) I don't know.

[MakeItCount]

Your mind writes scripts for things you know well and can do effortlessly. Think about driving a car for example. If you had to sit there for like 3 minutes everytime you had to shift because you forgot how the clutch and gas work, you'd have a hell of a time driving. Same goes with driving the same route. Your mind has a script, and it's put on the backburner so resources can go to novel things

[Cognitive_Canine]

Yes, this is extremely common and happens to just about everyone.

While it happens to just about everyone, you should try to combat this as it increases your chance to be in a traffic accident. Maybe get more sleep, try and eat foods that will prevent sugar spikes, listening to invigorating music while driving, or trying to keep tabs on yourself until it becomes more natural.

 

There is also some research suggesting that this "driving hypnosis" is caused by the parasite toxoplasmosis. It's a parasite many people have that is contracted through contact with cats and is normally harmless.

[scared and alone]

yes! especially when ive have little sleep. but the scary thing is, i am one of the best drivers on the road STILL. yeah, that terrifies me. I'm like 'dude, i am OUT of it, not awake and barely functioning, yet, i am driving better than these people?!'

[hers]

I do this sometimes. Just today I was driving and I was on a road about 3 miles from my house and I was like "whoa, I'm already here?" bc it's the same road I drove every day. I had no recollection of getting there even though I know the road so well. I remember seeing cars, breaking and going, turning, but not getting there. It was weird but it's my mind's way of sticking to the script, like someone else said.

[Jetta]

No rarely happens to me. Simply because I have to pay attention when I drive so I don't get a ticket for speeding or something.

[Blackey]

Its called "Highway Hypnosis", it happens to everybody to some degree, it is when the conscious and the unconscious can be seen separately, that is your conscious mind is somewhere else, while your unconscious mind is navigating the trip.

[Gracelove]

This happens to me allll the time. I think you just go on autopilot, especially when you're on a road you've driven on countless times.

[acfan]

I do this to a lesser degree. I think like other people have said we are on auto pilot, especially when we are on our daily commute to work/school. I have heard this is why time seems to go so fast when you get older. You are on auto pilot and time just slips by. When you are young everything is new so you pay attention.

[GoneCrazy]

Your mind writes scripts for things you know well and can do effortlessly. Think about driving a car for example. If you had to sit there for like 3 minutes everytime you had to shift because you forgot how the clutch and gas work, you'd have a hell of a time driving. Same goes with driving the same route. Your mind has a script, and it's put on the backburner so resources can go to novel things

 

 

couldn't have said it any better

[Nova216]

I did this a lot when I had my motorbike especially on trips around 10-20 miles and if I was the only one on the road at the time, I would snap out of it when something caught my attention such as cross roads or traffic lights and it would really worry me cause I couldn't remember the past 5 miles or so, even though (Like most people have already said) I know I've pretty much gone into auto pilot mode and that I'm still riding safely