You’ll often hear people say that distracted drivers are texting and driving or otherwise using their phones. And while there are certainly many different types of distraction – passengers, food, music, etc. – it’s true that the cellphone is perhaps the most common source of distraction in the car.
Part of the reason for this is that your phone actually provides three different types of distractions, all of which can make an accident more common.
Physical, visual and mental
The three types of distraction are physical, visual and mental, as noted by the CDC.
If a driver is sending a text message, they are most likely holding their phone with one hand. This satisfies the requirements for a physical distraction since they aren’t holding the wheel at 10 and 2.
At the same time, that driver is probably looking at the phone screen. This means their eyes are not on the road, and it is a visual distraction. Even if they hold the phone up high to “keep an eye on the road,” they are still very distracted.
Finally, the driver may be thinking about what they are writing or reading on the phone. They could also simply be generally distracted by the conversation. All of this takes their mind off of driving, so it creates a cognitive or mental distraction. Even when they set the phone down and look away from it, they may still be distracted.
Have you been injured?
When drivers are facing three different types of distractions at once, it’s common for them to cause accidents. If you get injured in one of these crashes, you must know what legal options you have to seek compensation.
