Vehicles cover a lot of distance in a short time. One that’s going 55 mph will cover the distance of an entire football field in just five seconds. When a driver is distracted for even that short period, they can cause wrecks. These accidents are preventable because there isn’t any good reason for a motorist to try to drive while they are distracted by something else.
Drivers have three types of distractions that they must avoid so they can give the road ahead their full attention. These distractions are visual (looking at something other than the road), manual (using your hands for something other than steering or shifting) and cognitive (thinking about something other than driving). Each of those systems are used while driving, and it isn’t possible to operate a vehicle safely if any are being used to handle other tasks.
Some common distractions that drivers must avoid include:
- Cellphone use, including texts and calls
- Deep interaction with other occupants
- Changing the entertainment options, navigation, climate control or other systems
- Eating or drinking
- Putting on makeup or doing other personal grooming tasks
- Reading or writing
- Looking for things in the vehicle
- Being deep in thought
Individuals who are struck by a distracted driver can suffer serious injuries. These crashes are sometimes fatal. More than 1,000 people are injured (around 9 each day) in this country. If you suffer an injury in a distracted driving crash or lose a loved one due to an at-fault driver’s negligence, you may opt to pursue a claim for compensation. You claim may include the cost of your medical care, missed wages and other financial impacts directly related to the distracted driving crash.
