Drivers today face more distractions than ever. In addition to the use of cellular phones and other mobile devices, vehicles themselves are chock full of gadgets from DVD players to navigation systems.
In 2009, more than 5,000 people were killed in auto accidents in which driver distraction played a role, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). That accounts for 16 percent of all traffic collision fatalities, an increase of 6 percent from 2005.
The NHTSA divides distracted driving into three categories:
- Visual: Turning your eyes away from the road.
- Manual: Removing your hands from the steering wheel.
- Cognitive: Losing focus on the act of driving.
Cell phone use and texting are the primary areas of focus when it comes to distracted driving, with 30 states now banning text messaging by all drivers. But distracted driving isn’t limited to the use of hand-held electronic devices.
Other distracted driving activities include:
- Eating and/or drinking
- Conversing with passengers
- Grooming
- Smoking
- Reading
- Adjusting vehicle controls
- Observing outside objects or action away from the road
- Controlling a radio, CD player or other music device.
Regardless of whether a state has distracted driving laws, and regardless of the specific types of distracted driving those laws address, a driver who causes personal injury or death due to distracted driving may still be found negligent.
If you’ve been the victim of an accident caused by a distracted driver, please contact the experienced auto accident lawyers at Jim Leach, Attorneys at Law.