Distracted driving has become one of the primary causes of fatalities on Florida roads. Regardless of age, distractions jeopardize drivers’ ability to drive safely and responsibly. Many drivers believe mobile phones are the only distractions to avoid. However, texting is only one of many things that can cause the death of others.
Three types of distractions
Drivers need the full capacity of the following abilities to safely reach their destinations:
- Visual: Even taking the eyes off the road for mere seconds can cause a catastrophic accident.
- Manual: Taking the hands off the wheel impairs control of the car and diverts attention to do what the hands must do instead.
- Cognitive: With the mind focused on anything other than driving, the risk of a crash increases significantly.
What must a driver do to avoid crashes?
Throughout any trip, even if it is no further than a block away, the following will play a significant role in the driver’s ability to avoid an accident:
Distance perception
The driver’s understanding of the distance the vehicle will travel from the moment the driver spots a hazard until the brain recognizes the hazard.
Reaction distance
The driver’s ability to understand how far the car will continue moving ahead after the hazard was identified and the driver actually hits the brakes and the car comes to a halt.
Common distractions include eating, drinking, grooming, attending to children and pets in the rear seat, interactions with passengers, and more. Of all the possible distractions, texting is most dangerous because it involves a combination of visual, manual and cognitive distractions.
Victims of Florida car accidents that resulted from another party’s distracted driving might have grounds to seek damage recovery. However, navigating such a personal injury lawsuit is never easy because proving negligence might be complicated. Although cell phone records might show activity at the time of the accident, showing the driver was distracted by pets or children might be challenging.