Cellphone distractions can cause serious car accidents. A driver who is typing a text message is not looking at the road and is holding their phone in their hand, two things that mean they have less control over the vehicle. And it is not just texting. It is a problem when drivers use their phone to take pictures or videos, to browse social media, to bring up locations on a GPS app or to stream music in the vehicle.
Many people know that they should not do these types of activities while they are driving, so they try to consolidate their phone use to times that they are stopped in traffic. If someone approaches a work zone and there is a traffic jam, they may take the time to check their text messages. If someone is waiting at a red light, they may take that time to search for a new song or a new playlist. When traffic starts moving again, they put the phone down and drive safely.
The next half a minute is critical
That said, they may not be driving quite as safely as they assume. According to studies, cellphone distractions last for an average of 27 seconds, even after a person stops interacting with their phone. The next half a minute is critical because that driver is still distracted and could cause a serious accident.
The reason for this is that there is a cognitive component to driver distraction. That driver is still thinking about the song they chose or about the text message they were writing. Even though they are not actively engaging with their device, their brain is not 100% focused on driving the car, so they are still more likely to make mistakes.
Have you been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver? You may be able to seek financial compensation for medical bills, lost wages and more.
