Drivers in North Carolina often feel like they are in enough control of their vehicle to multitask behind the wheel. However, distractions are a common cause of car accidents.
Whether a driver has a lot of experience or not, they shouldn’t ever fully trust in their ability to drive while taking part in another activity. And although state representatives have taken strides to try and prevent drivers from becoming distracted, the issue still exists.
Distracted driving involves splitting one’s attention between driving and things like texting, eating, or daydreaming. Most distractions that drivers face can fit into three main categories — visual, manual, and cognitive.
More specifically, here are some typical scenarios where a driver shifts gears mentally:
- Visual distractions: When a driver is facing a visual distraction, that means they are looking at places or things that aren’t going to help them on the road. This includes looking at one’s phone, reading billboards or making eye contact with passengers instead of out their window or at their mirrors.
- Manual distractions: To be off guard manually is a fancy way for saying a driver isn’t keeping both hands on the steering wheel. This could include dancing, texting someone back, sipping on coffee during a commute, gesturing while talking or turning music up.
- Cognitive distractions: Sometimes the source of an accident is difficult to pinpoint because the driver who caused the accident looked like they were engaged fully in driving. But it’s possible that the driver was cognitively distracted. This means they could be thinking deeply about a subject unrelated to driving or in a headspace where they are thinking about way too many topics at once.
There are countless ways a driver can lose their focus. So, if you’ve recently been in an accident, there’s a chance that the driver might not have been paying attention.
Finding your bearings after being a victim of a distracted driving crash can be difficult to navigate and process. But reaching out for professional help can help you sort out the source of the accident and seek compensation you deserve.
