Odds are you have heard people complain about distracted driving, the role that smartphones play and the rise in distraction-based accidents over the last decade or so, as smartphone use has become ubiquitous. And these people are right. Phones do lead to accidents every single day. They do distract drivers.
They are not the only distraction, however. Other issues that have caused accidents include:
- Eating and driving
- Spilling a drink, such as hot coffee, while behind the wheel
- Watching events outside of the car
- Talking to passengers
- Dealing with rowdy children
- Putting the coordinates or the destination into a GPS
- Looking at a phone when a notification comes in, even when not using it
- Turning on the music or looking for a new song/station
- Trying to pick up something that fell on the floor
- Trying to take something out of a pocket, a purse or a bag
Things happen quickly. Maybe you are driving down the road when a bright billboard catches your eye. You read it, grin, start to laugh, look back at the road and rear-end the car ahead of you — which just stopped in a traffic jam. All it takes is that single moment of minor distraction to lose track of what is happening on the road.
Understanding how this works may help you avoid all manner of distractions and stay focused when you drive. Unfortunately, you know that everyone around you is not going to do the same. If you get involved in an accident that was caused by a distracted driver, you may have a right to compensation for medical bills and other such costs