Any distraction is dangerous in the car. It takes a driver’s attention away from the road, and distractions lead to thousands of serious car accidents every month.
Using a cellphone in the car is often noted as one of the most common and dangerous things that a person can do. The reason that it is problematic is that it actually creates three types of distraction at the same time. While even a single distraction can cause a crash, three distractions at once makes it much more likely.
Visual distractions
First of all, the driver has to look at the cellphone – at least to pick it up, and potentially to read the notifications or information on the screen. Even if they try to glance back and forth from the screen to the road, this still takes their eyes off of the traffic around them and can hinder their reaction times.
Manual distractions
A driver should have two hands on the wheel at all times, so even holding a cellphone is a distraction. This is why making calls can be distracting, not just texting and driving. It’s still a manual distraction to hold or manipulate the device.
Cognitive distractions
Finally, there’s a level of mental distraction that comes from engaging with a cellphone. Someone who is reading a text message has to mentally process the contents of the message and consider their own response, for instance. Even when a driver is looking at the road, they could still be cognitively distracted by the phone.
Have you been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver? You may deserve financial compensation for medical bills and more.