Part of the reason that distracted driving is so common is that there are many different ways for drivers to get distracted. It’s true that talking to passengers and using the phone may be some of the most obvious examples, but there are also issues like drinking coffee, doing personal grooming, singing along with the radio, adjusting the mirrors and much more.
To help break down the issue, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified three key types of distracted driving. These are as follows:
Physical distractions
Physical or manual distractions mean that someone has let go of the wheel. Maybe they’re reaching to pick up something they dropped on the floor or reaching to change the radio station. Maybe they’re just trying to drink coffee during a long drive or eat a meal on a road trip.
Visual distractions
When someone is visually distracted, they’re just looking at something else and not paying close enough attention to what’s happening around them. Perhaps they have spotted another accident and they are gawking at the scene and the emergency vehicles. Or perhaps they’re trying to read a billboard, look back to talk to a child or, of course, look down at their phone screen.
Mental distractions
Finally, there are mental or cognitive distractions. These include things like daydreaming or trying to listen to an audiobook. In fact, one of the top reasons for distracted driving accidents is just that people become lost in thought. When a driver isn’t thinking about operating the vehicle, it harms their reaction times.
All three of these areas can lead to severe car accidents. Those who have suffered injuries need to know how to seek compensation for medical bills and other costs.