Why Distracted Driving Is Dangerous
While texting, thinking about your kids or changing the radio station, you are more likely to cause an accident because you are not paying attention to driving safely.
Many people know that distracted driving is dangerous. There were 3,450 distraction-related deaths reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2016.
Should there be harsher laws to stop drivers from being distracted? Will education solve the problem? Even knowing that someone could die in an accident doesn’t seem to prevent distracted driving.
What Exactly Is “Distracted Driving”?
Here are the three main distractions while driving:
Visual
Manual
Cognitive
These three main distractions prevent drivers from fully concentrating on the road. Things change quickly, so it’s essential to be aware of these distractions and avoid them if possible.
Visual Distractions
If you take your eyes off the road, you might be distracted by what you see.
When you are looking away from the road and focusing on something else, reading text messages on your cell phone, operating Google Maps, putting on clothing, or making videos for TikTok, you may think that you are only taking your eyes off the road for a second, but that is long enough to cause an accident. It is important to always stay focused on the road while driving.
If you are driving, and you get distracted for 5 seconds, you would have traveled about the length of an entire football field. This can be very dangerous for you and other people.
If you are driving on the freeway and someone suddenly comes into your lane from a truck stop or exit, you might not have time to slow down. You know you should not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, but we still drive distracted every day.
Manual Distractions While Driving
Manual distractions include things like taking your hands off the wheel, eating, changing the radio station, or reaching down for something. It is vital to keep your hands on the wheel while you are driving to stay safe.
You will have a slower reaction time, and if something happens suddenly, you may not be able to control the car in time.
Cognitive Distractions
The last type of distraction is when you are not focused on what you are doing. This happens to most of us sometimes. For example, have you ever driven to work and then realized you don’t remember much about the trip?
When we take the same path every day, it’s hard to focus on the road the whole time. However, it’s essential to be aware of cognitive distractions, which are things that take our mind away from driving, like daydreaming, thinking about work, or thinking about an argument we had with a friend. These distractions can lead to accidents if we’re not careful.
What are the Consequences of Distracted Driving Accidents?
The Criminal Penalties
In Florida, it isn’t only limited to talking on the phone. This also includes texting or using the internet. If you are caught doing this, you can get a ticket and pay a fine.
If you are in an accident caused by being distracted, you may face criminal charges. According to Section 316.1933, Florida Statutes, If someone is killed or injured because of the accident, you could be required to take a blood test for impairment or intoxication.
Premiums for Automobile Insurance Are Higher
The reason your insurance premiums are higher is that your insurance company looks at your driving history to see if you’re a responsible driver.
Damages and Other Costs
If you were caught driving distracted and were responsible for a car accident, you could have to pay for the injuries, loss of life, and property damage.
Sentenced to Time in Jail
If you are found to have been very careless, and this caused an accident that involved injury or death, you could go to jail.
It is never a smart idea to drive while distracted. You should always keep your eyes on the road. Distracted driving can have very serious consequences, and it’s important to be aware of the dangers. Is answering or reading that text message important enough to kill someone? Please make sure that you drive responsibly.
Has a distracted driver injured you or a loved one?
If you have been a victim of a distracted driver, Jordan Law in Orland, Florida, can help. With over 50 years of combined experience, we specialize in getting people the compensation they deserve.
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