Distracted driving has become a public safety menace. Distracted driving is now one of the most common causes of motor vehicle collisions and is responsible for thousands of injuries and premature fatalities every year.
People often engage in distracted driving and may not even realize it. The following are the most common forms of distracted driving that endanger people in traffic?
Using mobile devices
Digital distraction is the most discussed form of distracted driving. States have enacted laws banning the manual use of mobile devices, but that doesn’t stop people. People read text messages and emails. They manually dial their phones. They might even post on social media or play mobile games in traffic. Those choices endanger not only them but everyone they encounter.
Eating and drinking
Having a hot cup of coffee on the way to work or grabbing lunch on the way to a client meeting may seem like totally reasonable choices. However, focusing on consuming something while driving means splitting the attention that a motorist should focus on the road. They may end up hitting other people or vehicles because they can’t react quickly enough to changing traffic circumstances. If a spill occurs, they may react inappropriately and could swerve into oncoming traffic or a tree.
Talking with others
People don’t have to hold onto their mobile phones for conversations to be a distraction. Hands-free systems can result in people having emotional conversations while driving that distract them from safety. Even discussions with passengers can lead to people making eye contact and gesticulating instead of prioritizing the safe operation of the vehicle. Any conversation can be a source of distraction while driving.
Grooming oneself
Some men might shave while on their way to work, a date or an interview. Women with similar destinations might apply makeup or change their clothing. Attempts at personal grooming leave people looking in the mirror and touching themselves instead of holding on to the steering wheel.
Reaching for objects in the vehicle
Maybe a baby just threw its pacifier and started screaming. Perhaps a driver knocked their phone with their GPS software off of the dashboard and wants to collect it from the passenger seat. Reaching for items within the vehicle forces a driver to take their hands off of the wheel and their eyes off of the road, sometimes with horrific results.
Daydreaming
Mental distraction can be incredibly dangerous, in part because other drivers have no way of spotting it. Drivers fantasizing about their weekend plans or thinking about their grocery lists may not notice a pedestrian stepping out into traffic or a driver applying their brakes ahead of them.
Even when distracted driving does not involve digital technology, it may still be grounds for a personal injury lawsuit or an insurance claim. Realizing that many behaviors can lead to driver distraction can help people demand accountability from those who don’t make safety their first priority.