Many driving distractions are fairly well-known, such as texting and driving. People understand that this is a distraction and that it is highly dangerous. Yes, it still happens, but there is a general knowledge surrounding this type of behavior, even by those who engage in it, that it can lead to car accidents.
As a result, a lot has been done in recent years to try to prevent these accidents. There have been public service announcements about the dangers of texting and driving, and young drivers learn about it in the educational courses before they get their license. In many places, it’s illegal to drive with a phone in your hand.
But are we so focused on things like texting and driving that we are overlooking some serious distractions that plague drivers all across the state? Examples include:
Driving with children in the car
Some studies have found that parents who have children in the car can easily be distracted in numerous ways. For instance, a child may drop a toy on the ground and ask the parent to pick it up. The child may also cry or make other noises at unexpected times, which can be a distraction. There’s nothing that can be done to prevent this, but it’s important to understand just how distracting children can be so their parents can have a plan to drive safely while transporting them.
Eating while driving
Another common activity in the United States is eating in the car. In some cases, people are rushing to get to work or to some other appointment, so they eat a meal while they drive. In other cases, they just consider this a wise type of multitasking that can use their time more efficiently. But eating or drinking – even when not drinking alcohol – can certainly cause a crash. It means that the driver has to think about the action and take a hand off of the wheel, two things that are commonly noted as issues with texting and driving.
Have you been injured?
Even if the people around you aren’t texting – and you know that some of them are – they’re still going to be distracted for a multitude of reasons. This can lead to a serious accident and you need to know how to seek compensation if you’ve been injured.
