What Is the Definition of Distracted Driving?
Distracted drivers are one of the most common causes of motor vehicle crashes, and with the advent of the smart phone, the problem has only gotten worse in the last two decades. Of course, becoming distracted behind the wheel does not require the aid of an electronic device.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines distracted driving as “any activity that diverts your attention from driving,” meaning that anything that takes your full attention off the road can lead to distracted driving.
Types of Distractions
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) define three types of distractions for drivers. Many distractions, such as mobile device use, fall into more than one category.
Visual distraction
When we think of distracted driving, the activities that often come to mind are typically visual distractions. A visual distraction takes your eyes off the road.
Looking anywhere besides the road in front of you puts you at risk of a car accident-–at 55 miles per hour, your car travels the length of an American football field in five seconds. If a hazard becomes present in those five seconds, you may not notice it in time to stop.
Manual distraction
Manual distractions take your hands off the wheel. Putting on makeup, fumbling with your seatbelt, or reaching for a dropped object are all examples of manual distractions.
Cognitive distraction
Even if you are looking straight ahead with your hands on the steering wheel, you still may not be giving the task of driving your full attention. A cognitive distraction takes the driver’s attention away from safe driving.
Even “zoning out,” or allowing your mind to wander, can put you at risk of a collision.
Common Driver Distractions
There are dozens of potential distractions for a driver at any given time, and not all of them are within the driver’s control. This is why it’s crucial to be aware of your driving behaviors and avoid becoming distracted for even a brief moment.
Cell phone use
Sending a text message, answering a phone call, and scrolling on social media apps are all visual, manual, and cognitive distractions. As of 2021, young drivers (those between the ages of 15-25) were most likely to be involved in a fatal crash caused by the use of a mobile phone or other handheld device.
Hands-free devices aim to make talking on the phone while driving safer by removing the visual and manual distractions. Most states’ distracted driving laws do not apply to hands-free devices. However, the cognitive distraction of talking on the phone still remains—some studies have shown that drivers tend to focus on the center of the road when talking on the phone, but may fail to process what they are looking at.
Other vehicle occupants
Distracted driving crashes can also be caused by passengers of a vehicle—especially when teen drivers are involved. When multiple adolescents are in a car together, they are more likely to distract each other from safe driving.
Teens are not the only ones who can be distracted by their passengers though. Parents of young children are another group who may take their eyes off the road due to a distraction in the back seat.
Eating, drinking, and smoking
Snacks and drinks are often seen as road trip staples, but some come with more risks than others. At bare minimum, eating and drinking require you to have at least one hand off the wheel. Some food items may require the use of both hands, and drinking often requires you to take your eyes off the road as you tip your head back.
Smoking is not as popular as it once was, but lighting a cigarette, using the in-vehicle ashtray, and putting the cigarette out are all distractions that can cause you to drive unsafely.
Outside distractions
You can’t control what’s going on outside your car, but you are responsible for how you let it affect your driving. Things like car accidents, pedestrians, and even billboards can distract a driver and cause an accident.
Vehicle controls
Fiddling with the radio, adjusting the A/C or heat, and putting an address into your vehicle’s navigation system all count as distractions.
Distracted Driving Laws by State
Texting and driving is banned in 49 states and the District of Columbia (Montana is the only state with no texting ban). Other states take the bans even further and restrict phone use based on the driver’s age, or prohibit it altogether.
States with age restrictions on phone use
There are bans on handheld phone use for young drivers in 35 states, including California, Utah, Arizona, Iowa, Nebraska, and North Dakota.
States with handheld phone bans
Thirty-three states have full or partial handheld phone bans (partial bans usually apply to school and work zones). New York, California, Oregon, and Washington are included in the list of states with full bans, while Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin have partial bans.
Preventing Distracted Driving
Distracted driving awareness is the first step in preventing it altogether. While more and more cities and states are implementing laws and infrastructure that help reduce driving distractions, it is ultimately the responsibility of the driver to ensure they are paying attention when behind the wheel.
Turn off your phone
The best way to avoid becoming distracted by your cell phone is to remove the temptation to look at it. Turn your phone off and put it out of sight for the duration of your drive.
If this isn’t an option for you, consider using “Do Not Disturb” or a similar function. This feature silences notifications until you disable it, so even if you must have your phone on, you won’t be tempted to look at incoming texts until you have reached your destination.
Be prepared
If you use your phone to navigate or listen to music, prep those apps before you put the car in drive. Put the address of your destination into your maps app and queue up plenty of songs so you don’t need to use your phone after you’ve started your trip.
Stay focused and calm
It’s easy to become overwhelmed, upset, tired, or frustrated when driving, depending on the circumstances. These emotions can take your attention off of driving and cause you to crash.
The best way to continue driving safely is to remain calm and focus on the task at hand. If you need a break, pull over in a safe place and close your eyes for a bit, or switch drivers if possible.
I Was Hit by a Distracted Driver—Now What?
Distracted driving causes thousands of injuries and fatalities every single year in the United States. If you or a loved one was injured in an accident involving a distracted driver, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
The Advocates injury attorneys can help. Our personal injury lawyers have been representing accident victims for over three decades, and we can help you too.
With an Advocate on your side, you can rest easy knowing that a competent, compassionate legal team is fighting for you. We will build your case, negotiate with insurance companies, and do everything in our power to get you the settlement you deserve—you just focus on feeling better.
Contact us today for a free consultation. You deserve a skilled, experienced attorney for your car accident claim. You deserve an Advocate.