5 Reasons Distracted Driving Is So Dangerous

Anything that takes a driver’s attention away from the road is considered a distraction. Updating social media, talking on a cell phone, reading emails, eating or drinking, and even daydreaming are just a few examples of distracted driving. Every distraction has the potential to endanger you, your passengers, and everyone else in your vicinity. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), roughly 20 percent of distracted driver fatalities involve victims who were not in vehicles, such as pedestrians, rollerbladers, and cyclists.

Why Distracted Driving Is So Dangerous

Recent statistics demonstrate that, on average, drivers are 30 percent more distracted than they were in previous years. Even simple distractions are much more treacherous than most drivers would ever imagine. A driver’s total concentration is a necessary factor in reaching his or her destination safely. Consequently, driving while distracted is easily one of the riskiest behaviors among drivers. Below are crucial reasons never to drive distracted: 

1. Drivers Need Both Hands on the Steering Wheel: When eating, drinking, texting, or doing other activities that require the use of a hand, motorists will not be able to respond fast enough in emergencies. It takes time to get both hands back onto the steering wheel, which may prevent a driver from being able to swerve into another lane, turn on their lights to see better or honk their horn to warn others. 
2. Drivers Must Watch the Road: Drivers who do not keep their eyes on the road or fail to check traffic around them will not have enough reaction time in emergencies, such as when other drivers slam on their brakes, hazards suddenly appear, or vehicles cut into their paths.
3. Focus Behind the Wheel is Necessary: Since distracted drivers are not paying attention, they will not be cognitively ready to respond to sudden changes in conditions. It takes a motorist time to realize he or she should switch lanes, brake, accelerate, or respond to emergencies. 
4. Many Innocent Victims Could be Injured or Killed: As mentioned above, distracted driving is not just harmful to the driver but also places other drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and bicyclists in danger. Other victims typically have no way to anticipate or protect themselves against distracted motorists. 
5. The Legal Ramifications: Whether you total your vehicle, get pulled over, or hurt someone else, the consequences of distracted driving can be ravaging. 

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s battle-tested distracted driving car accident attorneys hope that this blog post will be enough to convince you to avoid all distractions behind the wheel. Suppose you or a family member were unfortunate enough to be involved in a crash with a driver who was not paying attention. In that case, Jed Dietrich, Esq. will stop at nothing to obtain the justice that you deserve. Please contact us now for your complimentary, no-obligation consultation and case assessment.