Education
against distracted driving is widespread. Both the federal government and the
California government have implemented educational programs and strict laws to
deter distracted drivers. One of the most targeted types of driving
distractions is also widely considered to be the most serious—texting and
driving. “Texting” can refer to either reading or composing any type of
text-based message on a mobile handheld device including text messages, emails,
social media messages, and more. Any victim of an accident caused by distracted
driving should consult with a California auto accident lawyer to discuss a possible case.
In reaction
to the lobbying against texting and driving, both drivers and manufacturers
have taken action to avoid the dangers of this activity. However, they may not
realize that they are still engaging in potentially very dangerous driving
distractions even if they do not pick up their phones while behind the wheel.
Hearing
a cell phone can be distracting
There are
three major types of driving distractions, which are manual, visual, and
cognitive. Manual distractions happen when you take your hands off of the wheel
to do another activity, such as reaching for and pushing buttons on a phone.
Visual distractions can occur whenever you look away from the road in front of
you, including looking at a screen to read or write a message. In order to
avoid these distractions, many drivers have decided to leave their phones aside
on the passenger seat, in a purse, or in another location.
A recent
study determined that, even if you never pick up or look at your phone, even
hearing the phone ring can result in dangerous distraction. The researchers
determined that even hearing a notification of a text message or call can cause
a significant enough cognitive distraction to lead to errors on the part of the
driver. Therefore, even drivers who believe they are being safe can be
distracted by even leaving the ringer on their phones on while they drive.
The more we
learn about distracted driving, the more we learn about how mobile devices can
lead to drivers being distracted and causing collisions and injuries. If you
have suffered injuries in a distracted driving accident, you should call an injury victim's attorney in California as soon as possible to discuss your
case.
