Drivers benefit from maintaining focused attention on the roads. Humans can’t always avoid distractions, but they must be vigilant when operating automobiles. Distracted driving-related crashes could result in fatalities, giving people a good reason to stay alert when commuting to their California jobs. However, several types of distractions could hamper a driver’s ability to travel on roads and highways safely.
Categories of distracted driving
If a driver cannot see the road, avoiding a collision becomes challenging. Fog and a dirty windshield are not the only reasons visibility may suffer. Simply put, the driver’s eyes may not be on the road. When a driver looks at a phone to read a message or turns their head to check out an accident off to the side, eyes no longer see what’s in front of the car. Visual distractions could lead to a collision when the driver runs into circumstances such as congested traffic they did not see. Of course, there are several other ways an accident might happen when someone doesn’t look where they should while driving.
While directing eyes away from the road is dangerous, visual distractions are not the only ones capable of causing a collision. Manual distractions occur when a driver’s hands are not on the wheel, and there are numerous ways people occupy their hands by multitasking. Eating and drinking while driving, combing one’s hair or fidgeting with a pet could cause dangerous distractions. Some activities might be best performed when parked.
Accidents become possible when the mind wanders, and a wandering mind is a form of cognitive distraction. Daydreaming and becoming lost in thought reflect examples of cognitive distractions.
Legal troubles and distracted driving
When negligence plays a role in motor vehicle accidents, the liable party could face a civil claim. Some might not think distractions add up to negligence, but they very well could. Eating and drinking behind the wheel while driving at 50 mph might be ill-advisable and risky, yet people do it. And they could face a lawsuit if they cause an accident.
Auto insurance policies could cover losses related to vehicle collisions. Effective negotiations may lead to an acceptable settlement.
