If you spend any time on the road, you probably have already seen some questionable behavior.
You may have witnessed someone swerving into another lane, braking too late at a stoplight, or staring down at their phone instead of watching the road.
Many times, this is due to distracted driving. These actions on the road are more than a momentary lapse in attention. They are some of the leading causes of serious car accidents, and the consequences can be devastating.
You can take legal action if you have been hurt in a car accident due to someone else’s inattention behind the wheel. Here is what you need to know about the most common driver distractions that cause accidents.
What Is Distracted Driving?
Distracted driving is any type of activity that diverts a driver’s attention from the task of safely operating a vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) breaks distractions down into three types:
- Visual: Taking your eyes off the road
- Manual: Taking your hands off the wheel
- Cognitive: Taking your mind off driving
While any one of these is dangerous by itself, the most serious distractions involve a combination of all three. Unfortunately, these distractions can lead to catastrophic crashes in seconds.
A Look at Common Driver Distractions
Distractions can affect a driver’s ability to react, make decisions, and maintain control of the vehicle. Here is how each one can cause a dangerous situation on the road.
Visual Distractions
Even a quick glance away from the road can result in a serious accident, especially in fast-moving traffic or heavy traffic areas. Some visual distractions include:
- Looking at a text message or notification: While it only takes a few seconds, it is more than enough time to miss a red light or fail to notice a pedestrian.
- Glancing at a GPS or navigation app: Rerouting or checking directions should be done before the trip begins, not while the vehicle moves.
- Checking the rear seat: Parents often turn around to tend to children, which can completely distract them from the road ahead.
- Observing an accident or roadside event: This is known as “rubbernecking,” and it is a common cause of secondary crashes.
Manual Distractions
Drivers need full control of the wheel to respond to sudden changes in road conditions. When their hands are occupied, their reaction time suffers. Manual distractions include:
- Texting or dialing a number: This is more than looking away. All drivers must physically manipulate their phones, which can lead to one-handed or no-handed driving.
- Eating or drinking: Grabbing a sandwich or sipping coffee can cause drivers to fumble and take their hands and attention off the wheel.
- Adjusting controls: Tuning the radio, changing climate settings, or reaching for a dropped item may seem harmless, but these actions require physical coordination that takes away from safe driving.
- Grooming: Applying makeup, fixing hair, or adjusting clothing while driving is common and dangerous.
Cognitive Distractions
Even when a driver’s hands are on the wheel and eyes are on the road, their mind might be elsewhere. Mental distractions can be just as hazardous as physical ones. Some of these include:
- Daydreaming or zoning out: Long commutes, stress, or fatigue can cause drivers to drift into thought and lose awareness of their surroundings.
- Talking on a hands-free phone: Hands-free calls are not risk-free. The mental engagement involved can reduce a driver’s focus.
- Engaging in emotional conversations: Whether a heated argument with a passenger or an upsetting phone call, emotional distractions make it harder to make sound decisions behind the wheel.
- Driving under stress or anxiety: Emotional distress can cloud judgment and reduce reaction time, especially in high-pressure traffic situations.
What makes these accidents so tragic is that they are preventable. Unlike weather conditions or mechanical failures, distraction is a behavioral issue. It results from a decision. These drivers have made a choice to look away, pick up the phone, or multitask behind the wheel.
And when someone makes that choice, they endanger everyone on the road.
The Real Cost of Distracted Driving
In just one moment, a distracted driver can change someone else’s life forever. Victims of these accidents may suffer from:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Emotional trauma
- Long-term disabilities
- Wrongful death of a loved one
The aftermath of a crash often brings medical bills, missed work, and a painful recovery, along with emotional turmoil. You deserve accountability and fair compensation if someone else’s negligence caused your injuries.
Holding Distracted Drivers Accountable
Proving that another driver was distracted during a crash is not always easy. These cases often require a thorough investigation, including:
- Cell phone records
- Traffic camera footage
- Witness statements
- Vehicle data logs
- Police reports
After a crash, you may feel overwhelmed after a crash, especially if the other driver denies being distracted or their insurance company tries to downplay your injuries. You need experienced legal help during this stressful time.
Distracted drivers make the roads unsafe for everyone. If someone else’s inattention has injured you or a loved one, Peterson Law Office can help.
