Distracted driving is a dangerous behavior that causes many accidents yearly. A significant percentage of drivers in the U.S. are seen using their phones, looking outside or engaging in some form of distraction at any given moment.
Understanding how to identify erratic behavior can help you respond safely earlier. The behaviors distracted drivers engage in fall into three main categories, which are:
Visual
Activities that take a driver’s eyes off the road are classified as visual distractions. These include:
- Looking at a phone
- Looking at a navigation screen
- Searching for music on a phone or infotainment screen
- Grooming
- Looking down to grab food, unwrap food or dip fries in sauce
- Looking outside at billboards, accidents, eye-catching cars or passengers
Even taking eyes off the road for just five seconds, especially at high speeds, can be dangerous.
Manual
Manual distraction is when a driver takes their hands off the wheel. For instance, when:
- Texting
- Eating or drinking
- Smoking
- Browsing social media
- Adjusting the radio
- Reaching for objects
- Interacting with kids or pets
- Brushing hair or applying makeup
Operating a vehicle with one hand reduces steering control, accuracy and reaction time. If the driver gets in a situation that requires a quick decision, for example, an unexpected obstacle, they may be unable to respond safely.
Cognitive
Cognitive distractions occur when a driver takes their mind off driving. This can happen when they are engaging in a conversation on the phone or with passengers, preoccupied with work issues/personal problems, daydreaming or listening to music/an audiobook/a podcast, especially an intense one.
A driver whose concentration is elsewhere may fail to notice unexpected objects or hazards in plain sight.
A distracted driver can cause you to sustain injuries. If this happened to you, get adequate information to protect your rights.