Approximately more than 3,000 people have died in the recent year as a result of distracted Driving. Distracted driving has been known to significantly increase the risk of getting into a car accident. In fact, studies show that a distracted teen driver is 8 times more likely to be involved in a car accident while the risk for an adult is 16  times higher. Despite the increased risk of getting into a car accident due to distracted driving, many drivers still continue with the habit. 

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How does distracted driving lead to car accidents?

It takes your eyes off the road

Reaching for your phone, responding to a text, or even answering a call can momentarily cause you to take your eyes off the road. If you’re driving at high speed and you’re not focused on the road, it will be impossible for you to respond to any hazards in good time. Let’s say the car in front of you can suddenly stop, or a pet runs in front of your car while you’re busy texting, chances are you might end up either hitting the pet or rear-ending the car in front of you before you realize what’s happening.

It prevents you from taking note of details

When you focus on the road you’ll be able to notice other distracted drivers as well and you will avoid a potential accident period. For instance, you will be more likely to see a driver who is drifting off the road or engaging in some form of reckless behavior if you aren’t distracted. However, when you are distracted by other things while driving, it will be very difficult for you to spot such details.

You may not respond effectively

Distracted driving not only involves taking your eyes off the road but also involves taking your hands off the steering wheel. If something happens and you have to steer away to avoid hitting it, you will not be able to do so effectively when your hands are off the wheel.

What are the different types of distracted driving?

There are three types of distractions while driving

Cognitive  distractions

When your mind thinks about something else other than driving, your attention is no longer on the road and you are driving on autopilot.

Visual distractions

This happens when you take your eyes off the road but your hands remain on the wheel. If you’re not focused on the road, you might not be able to respond effectively to hazards.

Manual distractions

This is when you remove your hand temporarily from the wheel to attend to other matters. This could include trying to reach for your phone or adjusting the volume on the radio.

It’s important to note that you can respond to more than one type of distraction. For example, you might be trying to talk to someone on the phone and slowing down to look at street signs. 

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Examples of common driving distractions

Texting and driving are some of the most common driving distractions and it involves all three types of distractions. When you receive a text not only do you take your eyes off the road to look at your phone but you also take your hand off the steering wheel to respond to the message. In addition, you also take your mind off the road to formulate a reply to your text. Below are other  examples of driving distractions

• Dealing with pets and kids. Kids and pets represent serious distractions in a car. For example, kids want attention, and pets may bounce around and make it very difficult to focus on the road.
• Looking at the GPS

• Adjusting the radio
• Eating and drinking
• Passenger conversations

Hire an experienced Fall River Auto Accident lawyer 

If you’ve been involved in an auto accident in Fall River due to the negligence of another driver you should speak to an auto accident lawyer about your case. You should make it a point to do this before talking to your insurance company.

An auto accident lawyer in Fall River is able to evaluate your case and determine the value of your damages. This will ensure that you get a fair settlement from your auto accident case.

At Kevin P Landry Law Offices, you can expect our auto accident lawyer to aggressively represent you during the auto accident claims process. You can schedule a free initial consultation with us today by calling 508-676-0001.