The dangers of texting and driving are well-publicized, and yet it remains a significant danger on our nation’s highways. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, (NHTSA) 2,841 people died in car accidents in 2018 involving distracted drivers.
To be clear, there are many different distractions vying for drivers’ attention while on the road. From eating and drinking to dealing with noisy children in the backseat, distractions are plentiful, but texting while driving gets the most publicity. In order to understand why texting and driving are so dangerous, it is perhaps helpful to understand the different types of distractions and how they affect drivers’ ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.
Manual distractions are among the most common types of distractions, and yet are rarely given much thought. A manual distraction is one that requires you to take your hands off of the steering wheel, reducing your ability to control the vehicle and your reaction time in the event that you need to avoid a hazard. The following are some common manual distractions:
Removing your hands from the wheel could add a second or two to your reaction time which could result in an accident.
Cognitive distractions are less obvious than manual distractions but can be just as dangerous. A cognitive distraction is one that takes your focus off of the road and surrounding traffic. When we say that a driver wasn’t “paying attention,” we’re typically referring to a cognitive distraction. Here are some common cognitive distractions that cause drivers to lose focus and lead to an accident:
Some cognitive distractions are more serious than others, but it’s important to remember that every driver has a legal duty to pay full attention to the road while driving.
The third type of distraction is visual, which is anything that takes your eyes off of the road. Visual distractions are also quite common but can be dangerous nonetheless. These can include:
Texting while driving is so dangerous because it typically involves all three types of distractions:
As you can see, the combination of all three types of distraction can easily lead to a car accident. You cannot see approaching hazards, you aren’t thinking about the task at hand, and you have reduced your reaction time by taking your hands off the wheel.
Failing to remain fully attentive while driving is one of the most common types of negligence that leads to a car accident. If you’ve been injured in a car accident and you believe it was caused by driving while texting, contact a personal injury lawyer to find out whether you may be entitled to compensation.
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