The prevalence of mobile phones has created pervasive safety hazards on the road. People have a hard time disconnecting for long enough to drive home from work or run errands. They read and respond to text messages or even post to social media while driving. Some of those distracted drivers cause major crashes.
Laws and public awareness campaigns have helped highlight how dangerous digital distraction can be on the road. Many motorists understand that they should not handle their phones while driving. However, turning off their digital device or silencing their ringer does not eliminate the risk of distracted driving.
Distracted driving comes in many different forms, many of which people view as minor or relatively safe. People may make choices every time they drive that increase their risk of the crash without understanding how dangerous those choices are.
What does distracted driving involve?
Distracted driving is an umbrella term that refers to any activity that diminishes an individual’s focus on their vehicle and surroundings. Professionals break distraction into three categories. Manual distraction takes a motorist hands off of the wheel. Visual distraction leads to them looking away from their controls or the road in front of them. Cognitive distraction keeps their brain from focusing on the safety-critical task they are in the middle of performing.
Quite a few seemingly innocent behaviors fall into one or more of those categories. Eating or drinking while driving can lead to all three types of distraction. Conversations with passengers can also cause serious distraction. Hands-free device use, grooming or even reaching for an item in the backseat can lead to a driver becoming so distracted that they cause a crash.
Motorists who keep their focus on the road can minimize their risk of causing a wreck. Those who notice signs of distraction in other drivers may want to give them more space. The people affected by distracted driving collisions may need to inform police officers of their suspicions.
Accurate police reports to make it easier for those affected by distracted drivers to pursue compensation after a car wreck. Drivers in the middle of a meal or a conversation when a crash occurs may be liable for the damage they cause because they aren’t paying attention to their surroundings.