Distracted driving comes in many shapes and forms and while we tend to think of distracted driving being when we text and drive, the truth is that distracted driving can manifest in many forms. Ultimately, anything that takes your attention off the road can be considered distracted driving. Although there may not be a way to completely prevent distracted driving, there are ways you can significantly avoid distracted driving. We’ll break down some of the most common forms of distracted driving.
Phone Related Activities
The cellphone has greatly revolutionized society and today many people use their cellphones for far more than texting and calling. In addition to communicating with friends and family, you can see your phone to quickly search for something on Google, listen to music, catch the latest episode of your favorite show on Netflix, etc.
With so many distractions, it’s no surprise that many car accidents are caused by these handy devices. For a simple solution, you can put your cellphone out of sight and out of mind. If for whatever reason you need to use your phone while on the open road, pull over.
Eating and Drinking
With so many fast-food drive-thrus and easily portable food selections, you would think that the food we have today is meant to be consumed while driving. However, eating and drinking while driving can result in deadly repercussions. Eat before hopping into the car, make some extra time in the morning so you’re not late, or if that burger from your local fast-food joint smells too good to pass up, eat in the parking lot before setting off again.
Driving While Not in the Right State of Mind
Maybe those two drinks at the bar with friends suddenly turned into four or more. Maybe you’ve had a big fight with your significant other and haven’t yet recovered. Maybe you’re suffering from driver’s fatigue or are simply feeling overworked. Whatever the reason might be, if you don’t feel like you’re in the right state of mind, then it’s better to wait before you start driving. This might mean taking a few minutes to compose yourself, taking a taxi home for the night, or having someone else drive.
Being Late
While we tend to think of being late for work or other engagements as causing a driver to speed, being late can also cause a driver to become distracted. This distraction may manifest in the former example of speeding, but it can also manifest in breaking other rules of the road like not coming to a complete stop. It may even cause a driver to attempt to multi-task. For example, maybe you need to turn in a crucial project at school or at your job. However, all your paperwork isn’t yet in order, so you’re quickly trying to put things together while driving.
Distracted driving can result in many forms and while we’re all prone to engage in this behavior at times, it’s best to minimize distracted driving whenever we can. If you do end up in a car accident, however, you’ll want to contact an experienced car accident lawyer. Our friends at Therman Law Offices, LTD has a team of lawyers ready to assist.