What is Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving is any non-driving activity of which a person engages in, that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving and increases the risk of crashing.

There are three types of distraction:

• Visual — taking your eyes off the road
• Manual — taking your hands off the wheel
• Cognitive — taking your mind off what you’re doing

Texting While Driving

For instance, texting takes your eyes, hands, and minds away from driving all at the same time. Texting has been shown to impair driving ability to a greater degree than alcohol consumption. Looking up and down at the phone while texting, is enough time to become involved in a serious accident. It only takes one person to stop, change lanes, or swerve unexpectedly to cause a major car accident.

A Virginia Tech study illustrated that texting is 23 times more likely to result in a crash than ordinary baseline driving.

Aside from texting, here are other driven to distraction behaviors

• Using a cell phone
• Eating and snacking
• Drinking coffee, sodas, water, iced tea
• Reaching for or putting back beverages
• Talking to passengers
• Grooming – putting on makeup, combing hair, shaving
• Reading, including maps
• Using a PDA or GPS navigation system
• Watching a video
• Changing the radio station, CD, or MP3 player
• Looking through your purse or bag
• Picking up something off the floor or seat
• Smoking, lighting cigarettes
• Changing the heat or A/C
• Bottlenecking accidents and construction zones
• Flirting with other drivers
• Gawking at pedestrians or bicyclists

Children can be a distraction especially if not properly restrained in car seats or booster seats or not buckled into a seat belt. Children can be fighting with each other, crying, yelling, and being disrespectful. Kids need to be educated about good behavior in the car.

Teenage drivers should drive solo until gaining substantial driving experience. The more passengers, a teen driver is carrying, the more likely a fatal accident will occur. Passengers often cause distractions that might cause teen drivers to make mistakes. Teenage drivers should keep their eyes on the road at all times, and avoid looking in the rearview mirror at passengers.

And pets—we love them dearly, which is why they should not be poking their heads out the window with faces blowing in the wind or sitting in the passenger seat unrestrained. Pets should be crated or restrained with a harness or physical barrier. Author Stephen King was walking down the road when he was hit by a van. The driver of the van was distracted by his unrestrained dog when he hit King from behind.

We Can Be of Assistance

If you would like more information about distracted driver lawsuits filed by the accident lawyers of Anapol Schwartz, contact us to find out how we can be of assistance.