Today, scores of California residents work from home and engage in Zoom calls. Sometimes, people take Zoom conference calls at hotels and elsewhere. While helpful in many ways, spending excessive amounts of time on videoconferences may come with unforeseen consequences, including fatigue-related car crashes.
Videoconferencing and the effect on driving
A long workday could involve several straight hours of videoconferencing. When the working hours on end, a tired employee or manager may experience cognitive overload. The impact on reactions and perceptions may reveal its dangers when the fatigued person takes to the road.
Root Insurance conducted a study that revealed some sobering details: more than half of those surveyed indicated they run into trouble concentrating after taking part in video conferences. The concentration and fatigue issues may combine with another troubling problem: decreased driving skills.
Millions of people drove far less in 2020 and the early part of 2021 due to the pandemic. Such “rustiness” could affect defensive driving skills and more. Someone who loses his or her concentration while driving might not see a stalled vehicle ahead. Degraded driving skills could make it harder to avoid that vehicle, which may result in a collision. Sadly, collisions could lead to fatalities.
Negligence and zoning out on the road
A person who chooses to drive while feeling fatigued or “zoned out” may put others at risk. The conscious decision not to call a rideshare service and avoid any problems might be considered negligence. When negligence factors into an accident, the responsible party may face a lawsuit. Hopefully, auto liability coverage might prevent the driver from facing financial devastation.
Persons injured by a fatigued, distracted, or otherwise impaired driver may rely heavily on an insurance settlement. In some instances, the injured party might sue the driver’s employer if the employer contributed any negligence. Personal injury cases center on such negligence claims.
“Zoom brain” mishaps could cause significant injuries to others. An attorney could advise a client on what legal steps to take if injured.
