According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, distractions while driving can be broken down into three main types — visual (in which you take your eyes off the road), manual (in which you take your hands off the wheel), and cognitive (in which you take your mind off what you are doing).
What makes driving while texting or driving while talking on a handheld cell phone especially problematic is that it involves all three main types of distractions.
According to the National Highway Traffice Safety Administration, the number of people killed in distraction-affected crashes decreased slightly from 3,360 in 2011 to 3,328 in 2012. An estimated 421,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver, this was a nine percent increase from the estimated 387,000 people injured in 2011. The numbers have not yet been released for 2013 or 2014.
California has banned texting while driving and talking on a handheld cell phone while behind the wheel. When you’re behind the wheel, focus on the task at hand. Put the phone down entirely. If you absolutely have to send a text, pull over to a safe area on the side of the road or into a parking lot. If you do not have Bluetooth and you have to make or receive a phone call while driving, then likewise pull over to a safe area before engaging the call.
Common sense also dictates that while driving we should not be posting or reading social media, inputting destinations on our navigation system, etc. These types of activities carry the same distractions as texting and talking on the phone.
If you or a family member has been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, please contact Sahhar Law Firm for a free consultation.