Although commutes can take a lot of time out of your day, it’s important to understand that behind the wheel is no place to multitask. Driving requires your undivided attention, and when there’s an interruption, disaster can take place.
Between 2010 and 2015, an average of 411,667 people suffered from distracted driving injuries each year. Plus, distracted driving injuries accounted for 16-18% of all motor vehicle injuries during those six years. Becoming a more focused driver, can help save you from falling victim to a car accident and injuries.
Being a more attentive drive can start with recognizing where different distractions derive from. Here are three main categories that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention outlines on their site:
- Visual: This includes any distraction that requires you to take your eyes off of the road, like looking at yourself in a mirror or looking at passengers as you talk to them
- Manual: A manual distraction includes taking your hands off the wheel while driving, like flipping through music on the radio or eating a snack
- Cognitive: Cognitive distractions happen when your mind is elsewhere, this can include anything from a simple daydream to being more absorbed in a podcast than the road ahead
There are plenty of distractions that include all or a combination of the main categories. For example, if you were to fix your hair while driving, then you’d have to take your eyes off the road, your hands off the steering wheel and your mental focus would shift. Texting and driving usually involves all three types of distractions too.
Understanding how a quick text can turn into a painful or fatal crash should be motivation enough to try and keep distractions to a minimum as you drive. However, sometimes there are distractions that you can’t control.
If you’ve been involved in a distracted driving accident, then a personal injury attorney can help you heal from the painful aftermath.