Although the term “distracted driving” is frequently associated with “texting and driving,” not all distracted driving accidents involve texting or the use of a cell phone. It's crucial to understand the three forms of distractions in order to avoid them. Behind the wheel, there are three types of distractions that can arise.
Visual Distractions: Visual distractions include all activities that take the driver’s eyes off the road ahead of them.
- Looking at GPS directions.
- Staring at something outside the vehicle (i.e. accidents, fires, altercations on the side of the road, protests on sidewalks, etc.)
- Smartphones, the major visual distraction (i.e. texting, phone calls, video chat or FaceTime sessions, social media, etc.)
Manual Distractions: Manual distractions include all activities that cause the driver to take their hands off the wheel to accomplish a task, even for just a second.
- Eating or drinking.
- Attending to a baby or pet in the car.
- Putting on makeup or taking off jackets.
- Changing the radio.
- Texting or scrolling through social media.
Cognitive Distractions: Cognitive distractions involve anything that can cloud the driver’s mind. Mindlessly driving is the equivalent of taking your eyes off the road.
- Conversations or arguments with passengers.
- Emotional or intense phone calls.
- Stressful days at work or school.
- Feeling nervous about activities or tasks en route to your destination.
- Feeling tired or depressed.
- Grief from a sudden loss (death of a loved one, loss of a job, breakup, etc.)
Behind the wheel of a car, drivers can cause significant property damage, serious injury, or even death. Traffic accidents happen every minute in the United States, and any of these accidents result in preventable injury or death. Contact car accident lawyer Irvine for legal help.
