Distracted driving is a growing problem in Kentucky and across the United States. Driving requires various types of attention, and allowing outside influences to interfere with that can be risky. It can negatively impact a driver and be the catalyst for crashes and auto accident injuries.
There are three aspects of safe driving: cognitive, manual and visual. If a driver is not mentally attuned to driving and lacks focus, it is a cognitive form of distraction. Examples might be thinking about personal issues, talking to a person in the vehicle or listening to the radio. Being manually distracted means the driver will remove his or her hands from the wheel. That could involve changing the radio, picking up something after it fell or eating. If the driver is visually distracted, it means not looking at the road. That could involve turning to see something to the left or right or checking the GPS.
Using a cellphone behind the wheel involves all three forms of distraction and causes a significant number of collisions. There are steps to avoiding distraction. These include turning a handheld device off when driving regardless of the circumstances, using a hands-free device, having children strapped in and pets locked in their carriers, eating before getting behind the wheel and programming a GPS before starting out on a journey.
People are extremely busy, and multitasking might seem necessary to keep up. However, focusing on anything other than driving can substantially increase the chance of an auto accident. Those who have been hurt or lost a loved one in a distracted driving accident should be cognizant of the steps to pursuing a claim. Investigating the accident, gathering evidence and having legal advice may be helpful in seeking compensation after suffering auto accident injuries.