Seasoned drivers consider operating their motor vehicles as second nature. Long after earning their permit and formal license, driving became second nature to them. For some, the attention they once took to their surroundings waned, resulting in serious accidents resulting in devastating injuries.
In one split second, catastrophe can come crashing down when your car runs into another vehicle. The smallest of distractions can result in severe and potentially deadly outcomes. Statistics from 2020 alone saw distracted driving killing more than 3,100 people.
Types of potentially catastrophic collisions
Distracted driving is separated into three categories that include:
- Visual distractions – When the eyes are not on the road and more focused on the surroundings, more attention is paid to brightly-colored billboards with catchy sayings, texting a friend, or locating an item dropped in a car.
- Manual distractions – Taking hands off the wheel to answer a call and reply to a text are the most common. Even more dangerous involves applying makeup and fixing hair and clothing.
- Cognitive distractions – Even with your eyes on the road, paying more attention to conversations that may turn into arguments or sleepiness can have disastrous results.
While the list of disruptions is numerous, cell phones are at the top when it comes to averting eyes from the road ahead. Once used to answer calls, cutting-edge technology has turned them into social media sources, cameras, and the smallest of “typewriters” used for texting.
A survey from 2019 saw high school students accounting for 40 percent of drivers during the previous 30 days to text or email while driving. Over time, they grow into adults with habits engrained and difficult, if not impossible, to break.
