The ability to multitask may be a positive trait in the home or in the workplace but there is one situation in which multitasking should never be attempted: while you are driving. Motorists in the Houston area are tasked with the duty of driving with due care. Distracted driving generally violates this duty and could lead to a disastrous motor vehicle accident.
The statistics
Distracted driving is a major issue in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each day approximately eight individuals in the U.S. lose their lives in a distracted driving accident. In 2018, more than 2,800 individuals were killed and approximately 400,000 more suffered injuries in distracted driving crashes. In fact, if you are traveling at highway speeds, texting and driving is like traveling the length of a football field with your eyes closed.
Types of distractions
There are three primary types of distractions: visual distractions, manual distractions and cognitive distractions. For example, if you are reading a text message or email, looking at a map or rubbernecking your eyes are off the road — a visual distraction. If you are sending a text message, eating or tuning the radio or GPS, your hands are off the steering wheel — a manual distraction. Finally, if you are reading a text message or an email and thinking of how to reply or if you are chatting with passengers, your mind is no longer on the task of driving — a cognitive distraction.
Have you been injured in a crash caused by a distracted driver?
It is easy to see why distracted driving is so dangerous, but every day negligent drivers will try to multitask while behind the wheel with disastrous results. Our firm’s website has more information on car accidents that readers may find informative.