Auto accidents happen for many reasons. Victims may suffer injuries and losses because of drunk driving, speeding and user error. One of the biggest causes of auto accidents, however, is distracted driving.
Distracted driving happens when a driver’s focus is drawn away from the road. This can happen visually, manually or cognitively. In other words, if a driver is distracted when they look away from the road, take their hands off the wheel or think about something that isn’t driving.
Distracted driving is dangerous because a distraction that lasts for even a few seconds impairs the driver’s reaction time. Frequently, drivers don’t realize they are distracted until it’s too late. There are a few common causes of distracted driving, including:
Texting and driving
Phones are made to draw people’s attention away from whatever they’re doing. A distraction caused by a phone often begins when an ill-timed notification. When a driver hears their phone chime, they may instinctively reach for their phone. As they do this, they take a hand off the wheel and may even look away from the road.
Phone distractions can be prevented. Drivers can turn off their phones or change their phone settings to silent or ‘do not disturb’ mode to avoid notifications.
Eating and drinking
Grabbing a meal is easy for drivers. Eating a meal while driving, however, takes a lot more concentration than people realize. Dropping food, unwrapping a meal, spilling a drink and cleaning off crumbs and sauces can be distracting while driving. Drivers may need to consider finding a place to park or waiting until they get to their destination before considering eating.
If you’re suffering from medical debt, permanent disabilities or losses because of an auto accident, then you may need to seek compensation. You can benefit from reaching out for help to learn about your legal options.