All too often, safety campaigns seeking to combat distracted driving focus on digital technology. There is no question that mobile phones and even built-in screens in vehicles contribute significantly to collisions.
However, distraction is a much broader and more pervasive issue than simply those texting while driving. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) breaks texting down into three primary categories, and many common forms of distraction may involve two or even all three types of distractions simultaneously.
Visual distraction
Your first line of defense on the road is your ability to see everything from a wild animal to a driver on the wrong side of the road coming straight at you. When you look away from the road around you and instead focus on your phone or the passenger next to you, you create an opportunity to miss something important, meaning you would fail to react in time to prevent a collision.
Manual distraction
You need to have both hands on the wheel to successfully maneuver in extreme situations. The extra second it takes to grab ahold of the steering wheel could be the difference between avoiding a pedestrian who just tripped and fell into the road and hitting them.
Cognitive distraction
The most common and insidious form of distraction is cognitive or mental distraction. People get involved in a conversation or focus more on their murder mystery podcast than on the traffic conditions around their vehicles. Daydreaming or thinking about the day ahead can also take someone’s focus off of safety.
Broadening your definition of distracted driving can help you avoid a reckless or negligent driver. However, if you have been injured in a crash caused by another driver, you have the right to seek compensation for your expenses and damages.