Car Accident Lawyer
As a top-rated car accident lawyer from Ward & Ward Personal Injury Lawyers explains, distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents, and cell phone use while driving is a major contributor to this dangerous behavior. Every day, people are killed or injured in car collisions caused by drivers who were distracted by their phones. This blog will look at how cell phone distractions can lead to serious car accidents and what we can do to prevent them from happening.
Cell Phone Related Accidents
Cell phones are a major distraction to drivers, leading to thousands of car accidents each year. When drivers take their eyes off the road and hands off the wheel to send a text or make a call, they put themselves and others at serious risk. Even hands-free devices can be dangerous due to the mental distraction associated with talking on cell phones while driving.
Driver Inattention
One of the main causes of car accidents attributed to cell phone use is driver inattention. Research has shown that driver distraction from cell phone use increases crash risk by three times, and when a person is texting while driving this risk increases up to eight times. This is because when drivers take their attention away from the road and focus it on their phones, they are unable to pay attention to what is happening around them. This prevents them from being able to react quickly in an emergency situation or notice other vehicles or hazards on the road in time.
Cognitive Distractions
Another way that cell phones can lead to car accidents is through cognitive distractions. Cognitive distractions occur when drivers are mentally occupied with something else, such as talking on their cell phone, instead of focusing on driving safely. By diverting attention away from driving tasks such as checking blind spots and monitoring traffic flow, potential hazards may go unnoticed leading to preventable collisions. Furthermore, research has also found that talking on a cell phone can impair many necessary driving skills such as reaction time and ability to process information quickly – both of which are essential for safe driving performance.
Other Distractions
Finally, it’s important to note that distracted driving isn’t limited only to cell phone use: other activities such as eating meals or grooming can be just as damaging when done behind the wheel. To reduce crashes attributed not just cellphone use but all types of distractions, it’s vital for people to recognize the dangers associated with distracted driving and commit themselves to never repeating these behaviors behind the wheel again – regardless of how long or short their journey may be!
