If you see someone texting and driving, they are a distracted driver. Every day, accidents happen because of distracted driving. It leads to a multitude of mistakes, such as drivers drifting out of their lane, rear-ending vehicles that slow down ahead of them or running stop signs and traffic lights.
But it is very important to remember that texting and driving is just one type of distraction, and that any activity a person participates in could potentially distract them from the road. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has divided these into three main categories.
Cognitive issues
One type of distraction is mental or cognitive in nature. A simple example here would be someone who is daydreaming or who becomes lost in thought. They are just not paying attention to what they are doing, even if they appear to have their eyes on the road. Another example could be someone who is singing along with the radio.
Physical issues
Some distractions are manual or physical in nature. Say that a driver sets their phone on the passenger seat so that they are not tempted to text, but it slides off and falls on the floor. As they reach to pick it up, taking their hand off of the wheel, they are physically distracted.
Visual distractions
Finally, a multitude of activities constitute visual distractions because the driver is looking away from the road. Examples could be as simple as turning to talk to passengers or children, looking down to adjust the radio or watching the screen of a GPS device instead of the road.
Any of these distractions can lead to a serious accident, and injured parties need to know what legal options they have. To learn more about your options, get in touch with our experienced law firm today.