When you get in the car to go somewhere, you likely do what you can to follow the rules of the road and drive safely. But the same is not true for every driver on the road with you, and many drivers become distracted by their phones and other situations.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the U.S., an estimated nine people die every day in car accidents related to distracted driving. And while many know that using a cellphone and driving is a dangerous form of driver distraction, there are several other types of distraction that can threaten your safety on the road.
Manual distraction
Any time you take your hands off the steering wheel while your vehicle is in motion, you become manually distracted. If, for example, you reach behind you to grab something or use one of your hands to change the radio station while driving, you experience manual distraction.
Cognitive distraction
When you stop actively thinking about driving and getting to where you need to go, you experience cognitive distraction. For instance, if you look down at your phone to read a text message, you are no longer thinking about driving and become cognitively distracted.
Visual distraction
Visual distraction occurs whenever you take your eyes off the road in front of you. For instance, if you look over at a passenger or look down to get directions, you become visually distracted.
If you sustained injuries in a car crash caused by a distracted driver, you may be unable to return to work and your normal daily life for an extended period of time. Take steps to protect your legal rights to fair and proper compensation.
