Driving while distracted is an epidemic. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that at any given moment in America, 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices while driving. In this article, we’ll look at the devastating consequences of distracted driving. We’ll also cover how to avoid doing it and what to do if you’re the victim of a crash involving distracted driving.
What is distracted driving?
Distracted driving is anything that takes your attention away from the act of operating a motor vehicle. Even activities that are legal to do when driving can distract you from the primary task of driving and contribute to an accident.
Activities that distract attention from driving include:
- Texting
- Looking at maps
- Eating or drinking
- Posting or consuming social media
- Adjusting music or airflow
- Talking on the phone (even if it’s hands-free) or to a passenger
What are the consequences of distracted driving?
According to NHTSA, sending or reading a text message typically takes your eyes off the road for almost five seconds. At 55 miles per hour (mph), those few seconds result in driving the length of an entire football field without looking at the roadway.
According to the American Psychological Association, the reaction time for distracted drivers is significantly longer if a car ahead brakes suddenly or an emergency leads you to swerve to avoid an accident.
NHTSA reports that in 2019 in the United States, 3,142 lives were lost in crashes involving a distracted driver. But this statistic doesn’t even begin to cover the social impact of distracted driving. Distracted driving injures many more people every year. People who cause motor vehicle accidents that kill or injure others suffer devastating psychological effects and may go to jail.
In short, distracted driving is a pervasive and dangerous problem that affects every driver on the road.
How to avoid driving while distracted
Take care of any driving tasks before you head out on the road. For example, adjust the air-conditioning or heating, adjust your side and rear mirrors, and look up where you’re going. Try to eat or drink before you even get inside the vehicle. You should also give yourself time to focus before you turn on the engine.
Texting or emailing while driving is incredibly distracting, but many people cannot resist the urge. To avoid being distracted by your phone, store it on the back seat or in the trunk.
Apps and features that support attentive driving
You can also use apps or built-in features to limit or disable your phone while driving. iPhone users can turn on Do Not Disturb While Driving, a setting that can activate automatically any time they’re in a moving vehicle. Android users can download Android Auto.
Other popular apps that support attentive driving include:
- OnMyWay (get paid for keeping your phone locked while driving)
- DriveSmart (analyzes how you drive and gives you personalized advice and tips to improve your driving)
- Down For The Count (create a driving pledge campaign and ask friends and relative to sponsor you)
What to do if you are the victim of a crash involving distracted driving
Unfortunately, while you can practice attentive driving, you cannot control the actions of other drivers. When motor vehicle accidents happen, it’s important to contact a law firm with expertise in personal injury lawsuits. At Bennett Injury Law, we have the knowledge and experience to help you get the best legal outcome possible. We get our clients the compensation they deserve.
