No doubt, you’ve heard somebody say the words “I’m a good multitasker” before — and maybe you’ve even said it yourself. However, multitasking doesn’t actually exist — at least not the way that most people think.
Studies have shown that when people are doing more than one thing — like talking on the phone and cooking dinner or watching a television show while chatting on their phone that they’re not actually doing two things simultaneously. Instead, their brains are rapidly switching gears back and forth between one activity and the other.
People can do two things at once when at least one of the tasks is basically automatic. For example, most people can walk while carrying on a conversation or listening to some music because walking is such a familiar, repetitive motion that doesn’t require that much of their attention. When each task occupies different parts of the brain, there’s no problem. When there’s a crossover, the ability to manage either task competently diminishes.
Why is this important to know? Well, because so many people have bought into the idea that multitasking is easy and something everyone can do that they tend not to realize just how distracted they are — and that includes when they’re behind the wheels of their cars.
Drivers today often don’t think twice about playing with their radio station, eating the lunch they just got at a drive through, chatting with their companions or sneaking a quick peek at a text while they’re in motion — almost as if they forget that they’re in charge of a heavy vehicle that’s flying down the road at a fast speed.
If you’re hurt in a wreck with a driver who tried multitasking and failed, you have a right to expect compensation for your injuries and losses. Find out more about what you can do to get a fair settlement.
