Common Causes Of Distracted Driving Collisions

Car crashes can happen for a wide variety of reasons in the Shreveport area, and in many cases, distracted driving is the cause. When drivers get distracted behind the wheel, they can cause serious and deadly wrecks that were otherwise avoidable. While many people assume that smartphone use is the major or only cause of distracted driving collisions in Louisiana, it is critical to understand that distracted driving can be caused by many types of actions, including those that are unrelated to technology. Whether a motorist is distracted by texting on a phone or eating a meal behind the wheel, it may be possible to file a claim against that driver and to hold them accountable. Our Shreveport auto collision lawyers can tell you more about some of the most common causes of distracted driving crashes in Louisiana.

Texting or Talking on a Smartphone

 Texting while driving, and handheld talking while driving, are two of the most common causes of distracted driving collisions. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “texting is the most alarming distraction” since “sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds.” As the NHTSA clarifies, when your eyes are off the road and looking at a smartphone for 5 seconds at 55 miles per hour, “that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.”

Eating or Grooming Behind the Wheel

 Eating and grooming behind the wheel — which do not involve any twenty-first century technologies — can also result in distracted driving crashes. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), anything that takes your hands off the wheel can result in a distracted driving collision. Other examples of actions that take your hands off the wheel include, for example, adjusting a mirror, changing a music playlist, or reconfiguring a GPS. These activities also take your eyes off the road, which is another form of distraction.

Talking to a Passenger in the Vehicle 

Even talking to a passenger can be distracting. The CDC emphasizes that teen drivers can be especially distracted when they have other teen passengers in the car, since talking to a passenger can take your eyes and your mind off the road.

Focusing on an Issue That Takes Your Mind Off the Task of Driving

 As the CDC highlights, the mere act of taking your mind off the task of driving — even if your hands are on the wheel and your eyes are on the road — can result in a distracted driving crash. As such, if you are thinking about something else, or focused on a work or home problem while driving, you could cause a serious collision. It is critical to keep your mind on the task of driving in addition to keeping your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.

Contact a Shreveport Car Crash Lawyer

 Do you have questions about liability in a distracted driving wreck? You should seek advice from one of the Shreveport distracted driving lawyers at Rice & Kendig. An attorney at our office can speak with you about your case and your options for seeking compensation.

Sources:

cdc.gov/transportationsafety/distracted_driving/index.html

nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving