Final answer:
Inattentional blindness and event schemata are concepts that explain how distractions disrupt a driver's focus, leading to significant consequences for road safety.
Step-by-step explanation:
Distraction can have severe consequences for driving and is illustrated by scenarios such as texting while driving, where a driver's focus is drawn away from the road. This concept, known as inattentional blindness, manifests when people fail to notice fully visible, but unexpected objects because their attention is engaged on another task, particularly one that is demanding.
Studies, such as the gorilla experiment by Simons and Chabris, show that when we concentrate on a particular task, we may become oblivious to other occurrences, which can be hazardous while driving. Additionally, cultural and event schemata play a role in habitual behaviors like using a phone while driving, making such habits hard to break. It is important for drivers to understand the influence of attention on perception to anticipate and mitigate potential distractions.