Distracted driving brings with it significant dangers. Any driver not paying attention to the road increases the chances of an accident. Sadly, many distracted driving collisions in Florida result in tragedies. Not all forms of distracted driving are the same; someone might be diligent with avoiding one type of distraction while embracing another.
Manual distractions create potential hazards
Manual distractions might be the actions that first come to mind when discussing this topic. Manual distractions could involve using the hands for something other than properly operating a vehicle. Tapping on a touchscreen, eating or drinking while driving, combing one’s hair, and even adjusting a seat belt represent manual distractions.
Unnecessary manual actions undermine a driver’s ability to use their hands when needed. How could a driver steer the vehicle away from an object in the road without both hands on the wheel?
Manual distractions aren’t the only distractions that could cause car accidents, though. Even a driver who rarely takes his or her hands off the wheel could become distracted in other ways.
Other types of distracted driving
Not only do hands need to stay where they belong, but so do the driver’s eyes. Looking at a multimedia screen could be as disastrous as touching it because the driver isn’t paying attention to the road ahead. Similarly, looking off to the side to check out an accident may lead to another crash. It’s important to keep in mind that a split-second distraction might be enough to cause a collision, especially when a car is traveling at high speeds.
Daydreaming or thinking about things other than careful driving may also result in an accident. Even when it appears that the driver isn’t distracted, their mind may be elsewhere, leading to delayed reactions to obstacles in the road.
All these forms of distracted driving may result in a viable negligence claim after an accident. Careful drivers can benefit from avoiding these dangerous behaviors.