There are many kinds of distracted driving, and many are kinds people don’t even recognize. When you think about distracted driving, you probably think about texting or using a cellphone. The fact is that anything that takes your attention off the road is a distraction and can lead to a distracted driving charge.
As a victim of a distracted driver, it’s helpful to understand what the person at fault for your accident did wrong. It can help you feel the incident has been resolved and give you the information you need to keep others in your life from making the same mistakes.
Texting is one kinds of distraction that some drivers participate in. When a text arrives to a phone, an alert often sounds off. When that happens, even if the person doesn’t look down, he or she is momentarily distracted. As his or her attention turns to the phone, he or she could take time to read or reply to a message. That reply or time spent reading takes a driver’s eyes off the road and can lead to an accident.
Another distraction is eating behind the wheel. Everyone knows there are cup holders in a car, and few people would argue that taking a sip of water isn’t much of a distraction. The true distraction is when you look away from the wheel to unwrap food or take your hands off the wheel to take the cap off a difficult bottle of soda. That action can lead to a crash and takes control away from the driver.
These are just two of many distractions. If a distracted driver hits you, you have a right to pursue compensation.
Source: NHTSA, “Distracted Driving,” accessed May 10, 2017
