Distracted driving is often spoken of as an umbrella term that includes a lot of different activities, all of which make it more likely that a driver will cause a car accident. This makes it seem like it is one singular issue that needs to be solved, like speeding or drunk driving. Often, the focus is on cellphone use in the car.
The truth is that there are three main categories of distracted driving. All of them can lead to accidents, and they can occur together, but it’s also possible for them to happen in very different ways.
1. Visual distractions
What people often think of as a distraction is something that keeps your eyes off of the road, and this is known as a visual distraction. An independent example could be gawking at an accident, while a phone-related example could be reading a text message.
2. Manual distractions
Next, you have the category of manual distractions, which are physical distractions. They mean that you are not holding onto the steering wheel with at least one hand or operating other necessary controls. One example could be reaching to pick up something off of the floor, while an example involving a phone is typing out a text message.
3. Cognitive distractions
Finally, driving is very much a mental task, and there are distractions that take someone’s mind off of that responsibility. These cognitive distractions could include listening to a song that you love and getting wrapped up in the melody or thinking about that text message you just sent to your significant other.
You can avoid distraction, but other drivers engage in it all the time. If you suffer catastrophic injuries in an accident caused by a distracted driver, you may be able to seek financial compensation.