When many people think about distracted driving, their first thought is cellphone-based distractions. They imagine drivers texting and driving, making calls, looking for a new song to listen to, using a GPS or something of this nature.
All these things can be problematic, but it’s also important for drivers to remember that it’s not just cellphones that cause distraction on the road. Many other things can also pull a driver’s attention away from the traffic around them—even things that people tend to do on a consistent basis. For instance, many commuters will drink a cup of coffee on the way to work or eat a fast food dinner as they drive home, but both eating and drinking in the car could cause distracted driving accidents.
2 types of distractions
For one thing, eating and drinking tends to be a manual distraction. Someone who only has one hand on the wheel so they can hold a hamburger or a cup of coffee in the other hand isn’t necessarily in full control of their vehicle. This is just as physically distracting as holding a cellphone while writing a text message.
Additionally, these activities can be visual distractions. Someone may glance down at their food before they take a bite. If they tip their coffee cup up in front of their face, it tends to block their vision as they take a drink. Even if these visual distractions last just a second, that can be enough to block the driver’s view of the road and cause a crash.
Seeking compensation
Even if you avoid distracted driving yourself, you could be injured by another driver. Make sure you know how to seek financial compensation for medical bills and more.