If someone asks you what it means to engage in distracted driving, your first thought is likely of texting while driving. It’s very common. We’ve all had the unnerving experience of driving next to someone who was clearly texting on their phone and not looking at the road.
The risks don’t end there
While texting and driving is dangerous, it is still important to remember that there are plenty of distractions beyond texting. Here are some examples:
- Listening to music
- Eating a meal
- Drinking coffee
- Driving while sad, angry or emotional
- Driving with pets in the car
- Driving with kids in the car
- Picking up something that fell on the floor
- Reaching for an item on another seat
- Using hands-free devices
This last example may come as a surprise since many people talk about hands-free devices as the solution to cellphone distraction. It may be marginally better to talk to your phone instead of holding it in your hand, but you still have to think about that phone. You have to pick it up, unlock it, consider what you want to say, check to make sure you got the right results, and much more. Even hands-free devices can take a person’s attention off of the road – particularly when they’re used to post on or check social media or do other things that engage your eyes and mind.
Have you been injured?
Have you been injured in a crash caused by a distracted driver? No matter what type of distraction caused the crash, you need to know what legal steps to take to seek financial compensation for your medical bills, lost wages and many other expenses and damages.
