It’s clear that using a cellphone while you drive is a distraction. Some drivers find themselves looking down at the phone, while others will take their hands off the wheel to use the device. This type of distraction is one that causes many fatal car accidents every single year.
To try to keep themselves from being distracted, some drivers decide to set the phone down when the car is actually in motion and only use it when the vehicle is stopped. For instance, a driver may never touch their phone during their commute until they get to a red light. While they wait for the light to change, they assume that is a safe time to check their text messages or their email.
But this is assumption can often be wrong. Studies have found that distraction does not end when you set the phone down, but can last for another 27 seconds afterward.
Using voice commands
Another assumption that drivers will sometimes make is that it’s safe to use voice commands so they don’t have to physically manipulate a device. And this may be safer than picking up a phone, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe. In fact, the study that determined that it could distraction could last for 27 seconds specifically did look at voice commands and found the same result. So, even though these systems are often touted as a safe alternative, it’s clear that they still bring about many of the same issues that any other type of distraction can create.
Have you been injured by a negligent driver?
You can see just how serious and misunderstood distracted driving is, and those are two reasons that it leads to so many serious accidents every year. It’s one of the leading causes of fatal car accidents, and it also leads to numerous crashes that result in severe injuries.
If you’ve been hit by a negligent driver who was distracted behind the wheel, and you’ve suffered serious injuries as a result, you need to know about your legal options to seek financial compensation.