People who are driving a vehicle have to be aware of what’s going on around them and ready to react to a variety of circumstances in a split second. While most drivers can do that safely and reliably, distractions can prevent them from being able to do this effectively.
Many people don’t realize how many activities are considered distractions. And, they may not understand how many different types of distractions can negatively affect drivers. Learning a bit about distractions that impact driving may help all drivers when they’re behind the wheel.
Types of distractions
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention names three distinct types of distractions. Visual distractions force a driver to stop looking at the road. Cognitive distractions require them to think about things other than driving. Manual distractions make the driver take one or both hands off the steering wheel.
Many distractions that drivers face encompass more than one of those types. For example, changing the onboard entertainment requires the driver to look at the screen, think about what they want to listen to and touch the screen. That means they’re dealing with all three types of distractions just to change a song on the stereo.
Approximately nine people die each day in the United States because of a distracted driver. Even if you’re safe and don’t allow distractions to take hold, other drivers may not do the same. Anyone who’s struck by a distracted driver may need immediate medical care, which can be costly. Seeking compensation for the financial impacts may be possible, so you may want to speak to someone familiar with these matters so you can get your case moving forward.