Distracted driving has become one of the top causes of car accidents in our country. Distracted driving is any kind of activity that diverts attention away from the task of driving and keeping control of your vehicle. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 10 percent of fatal crashes and 15 percent of injury crashes in 2015 were caused by distracted driving. Distracted driving accidents are severely underreported, so it’s vital that car drivers know the dangers and risks of this type of careless driving.
What Are the Types of Distractions That Could Occur During Driving?
Generally, there are three types of distractions that traffic safety experts use to classify a distracting activity that takes place in a vehicle. These three main types are manual, visual and cognitive.
- Manual: Manual distractions occur when a distraction causes you to take your hands off of the wheel, or they cause you to steer in an unsafe manner.
- Visual: These types of distractions happen when the driver focuses their eyes away from the road. These can include other cars, billboards, accidents on the road, etc.
- Cognitive: A cognitive distraction occurs when your mind wanders away from the important task of driving and maintaining focus on the road.
Cell phone use involves all three of these distractions, which is why texting and driving has been viewed as equally as dangerous as drunk driving. Cell phone users are almost six times more likely to get into a car accident than undistracted and completely focused drivers. Sending or reading a text message requires you to take your eyes off of the road, to use one or both of your hands, and to think about something else besides the task of driving.
Thirty-six percent of drivers admit that they have read or sent a text message while driving, which can be considered a fairly large amount. If you have been a victim of distracted car accident, you are entitled to compensation. Contact our New Jersey auto accident lawyers today to get the help you deserve.
