When drivers get distracted, they are vastly more likely to make mistakes. In some cases, this is because they entirely disengage with the act of driving. Someone who is turning to talk to a passenger simply is not looking at the road ahead of them and may drift over the centerline and into oncoming traffic. In other cases, the distraction just reduces a driver’s reaction time so that they cannot avoid a hazard. For instance, this could be why they cause a rear-end accident.
There are a lot of different individual distractions. Searching for a radio station. Looking at the screen of a GPS. Talking to a child who is a passenger in the car. Making a phone call or getting a text message. These are just a few common examples out of thousands of activities that drivers engage in while they are behind the wheel. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has sorted these distractions into three main categories.
Visual distractions
Visual distractions are often very obvious. A driver who looks down at their cellphone cannot simultaneously be watching the road. Driving with just their peripheral vision is not nearly safe enough. That driver is suffering from a visual distraction.
Manual distractions
Drivers should always keep their hands on the car’s controls. However, some drivers try to do things like driving with one hand while they type a text message with the other hand, or driving with their knees while they use both hands to eat on the way home from a long day at the office. Even something like reaching to turn off the radio is technically a manual distraction.
Cognitive distractions
Finally, many drivers suffer from significant mental distractions, even though they may never take their eyes off of the road or their hands off of the controls. An example of this could be someone who is commuting to work after just getting in an argument with their spouse, and all they are thinking about is that argument.
All of these kinds of distracted drivers can cause accidents. Those who suffer significant injuries in crashes caused by distracted driving crashes need to know how to seek financial compensation for medical bills and other costs. They can benefit from contacting Quinn Law Firm at 814-833-2222 to learn more.
