More than three quarters of actual crashes and 65% of near-crashes were the result of some form of driver distraction. The majority of personal injury lawsuits are due to traffic matters — 54.7 million of them. Here are some of the most common sources of driver distraction and what you can do to avoid them.
Devices
The single most common cause of distracted driving is the use of devices. Whether its texting, talking on the phone, or using a navigation system, many people use devices while they drive, which can be very dangerous. Try turning the sound and vibration off on your phone before driving anywhere so you won’t feel tempted to check it if you receive any phone calls or text messages. Make sure to send any texts and make phone calls before you leave as well.
Eating and drinking
Another common source of driver distraction is eating or drinking on the road. Doing so is distracting because it forces the driver to pay attention to eating and keeping food off of their clothes which mean they aren’t paying enough attention to the road.
Grooming
Surprisingly, a third common source of driver distraction is grooming while driving. This includes things like combing or fixing hair, applying make up and shaving, all of which require physical and mental attention that the driver should reserve for the road. The best way to avoid this is to give yourself enough time to get ready in the morning or before you leave to go somewhere.
If you’ve been in an accident and suffered a personal injury as the result of someone else’s negligence or distracted driving, you probably have grounds for filing a personal injury lawsuit. After receiving medical attention, you should contact a personal injury lawyer who focuses on car accidents to see what your next steps are.
