Modern technology really came to the rescue of many American companies and workers in 2020. Technology made the pivot to remote work much easier for people to handle.
But all that technology has some unexpected dark sides. In fact, video conferencing apps like Zoom and Skype may be making the roads less safe than normal.
What’s causing the “Zoom zombie” effect?
According to the Root Insurance Distracted Driving Awareness Survey, there’s a noticeable and lingering cognitive distraction caused by video conferencing. Fully 54% of motorists surveyed acknowledge that they have trouble giving the road their full concentration if they find themselves driving somewhere shortly after a video conference. These “Zoom zombies” are zoning out behind the wheel.
How on earth can a video conference affect someone’s driving even after the conference is over? Essentially, video conferences force people to concentrate — hard — on what they’re doing for the entire duration of the call.
Human mental energy is actually fairly finite. The longer the conference goes on, the more someone’s ability to concentrate is drained. Most people need a significant break to recharge and relax before they can expend that kind of mental energy again.
That’s a big problem if the next thing someone has to do after a video call is jump into a car to pick up their kids from school, run errands or go shopping. Distracted driving is already a major problem for most drivers, and Zoom fatigue makes it worse.
What can you do if you fall victim to a distracted driver?
Whatever the cause of a distracted driving accident, you have every right to expect the responsible driver to cover your medical bills, lost wages and property damage. Don’t let an insurance company take advantage of you. Work with an experienced attorney to get everything you are due.