Driver distraction is one of the biggest contributors to injuries on the roads.
Distracted driving campaigns typically target drivers using their phones. So do the laws and car features introduced to stop drivers from handling their phones while driving.
Despite that, phone use is still dangerous, as even if it does not require your hands, it requires your attention. If you have ever tried to make a phone call with a toddler screaming by your side, you will understand that concentrating on two things at once is next to impossible. When driving, your focus must be fully on the road, not your phone or anything else.
Here are some other things that take attention away from the road
1. Your passengers
Whether it’s that same screaming toddler, a nagging spouse, or a particularly excitable friend, sometimes they demand far more of your attention than it is safe to give.
2. Your stomach
Whether quelling hunger pangs or eating through boredom, food requires your attention. An oversize hotdog with sauces dripping down the side will be more dangerous than a bite-sized cereal bar, but eating anything requires your hand and mind.
3. Your face and hair
Using your commute to touch up your makeup won’t save time if it causes you to crash. Having your hair blowing in the breeze as you drive might feel freeing, but if it obscures your vision, you could find yourself stuck in a hospital for weeks.
While avoiding distractions yourself will make a massive difference, a vehicle collision can always happen for reasons beyond your control. If you can show preventing it was within someone else’s control, then you can look to seek compensation for any injuries you suffer.