3 Common Types of Distracted Driving That Can Lead to Car Accidents

 Posted on March 10, 2020 in Car Accident

Studies show that approximately nine people die and 1,000 more are injured every day in the United States from motor vehicle accidents resulting from distracted driving. This is a serious issue, so much so that nearly every state has laws against distracted driving. With that in mind, it is important to know and recognize the types of driving distractions and understand how they can lead to car accidents.

Distracted Driving Categories

Driving distractions can be divided into three categories, with most distractions overlapping in more than one category. The three main types of driving distractions are:

1. Visual—This is any distraction that causes a driver to take his or her eyes off the road.
2. Cognitive—These distractions make a motorist less aware of what he or she is doing and minimize the focus on safe driving.
3. Manual—For these distractions, a driver’s hands or feet might get temporarily displaced, leading to less control of the vehicle.

Examples of Distracted Driving Behavior

While there are countless forms of distracted driving, here are some of the more common ones that can lead to a car accident:

• Texting while driving combines all three types of distractions—cognitive, manual, and visual—because it requires a driver to think about something other than driving and takes his or her hands off the wheel in order to use the phone. This is one of the most dangerous and prevalent of all driving distractions. However, the advent of smart dashboards and entertainment consoles in cars that integrate with smartphones has mitigated some of these problems.  

• Talking on the phone or with other passengers can be a distraction that touches on many of the distraction categories. Especially if a conversation is important or otherwise heated, this distraction can be quite unsafe.

• Changing the radio station while operating a vehicle is another multifaceted distraction in that it has the potential to take all of the driver's attention—hands, eyes, and mind—away from the act of driving.

• Eating food and/or drinking beverages is not as cognitively challenging, but it still can affect the way someone drives.

• Staring at accidents, signs, or billboards could also cause a motorist to lose control of his or her vehicle.

Contact a Fort Collins Car Accident Lawyer

In many cases, car crashes are caused by a motorist who is driving recklessly or who is distracted. If you have been injured by a distracted driver, you may be able to seek compensation for your injuries, your car damages, and your emotional trauma. Reach out to a Larimer County personal injury attorney at 970-225-2190 to schedule a free consultation. The skilled team at Hoggatt Law Office, P.C., will give you the help you need, and we will work to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.

Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/distracted_driving/index.html
https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2019/aug/28/tony-evers/evers-wrong-texting-and-driving-stat/