Distracted driving happens every day. Drivers talk to their children, sing along with the radio or use their cellphones behind the wheel. Often, this distraction leads to serious car accidents.
But while you can find many examples of distraction, such as those noted above, it’s often easier to think about it in the three categories identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
1. Cognitive distractions
To start with, some distractions are purely mental. Listening to an audiobook or talking with a passenger could be an example. The driver can still watch the road, and they feel like they’re in control of the car, but they’re putting mental energy into other tasks, which can harm their reaction times.
2. Visual distractions
Many distractions are visual, such as when a driver looks down at their cellphone. Even if they just glance down for a second or two, they can travel a significant distance without looking at the road at all. This distraction often means that they miss key details, like cars slowing down ahead of them, pedestrians entering a crosswalk or a light changing from green to yellow.
3. Physical distractions
Finally, a physical distraction happens when someone isn’t holding the steering wheel and doesn’t have full manual control over the vehicle. An example of this could be a driver who has a late-night commute and buys an energy drink on the way home. When they reach down to pick up that drink or try to open the can, they’re no longer holding the steering wheel.
In many cases, drivers are distracted in multiple ways at once, severely increasing the odds of an accident. Those who have been injured need to know what legal steps to take to seek compensation.