What are the three main ways a driver can be distracted?

Many people in Akron may pride themselves on their ability to multitask. While multitasking might be great in the workplace or at home, one situation in which a person should never multitask is when they are driving. Car accidents caused by distracted driving are a very real problem that, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, leads to approximately nine deaths and 1,000 injuries every day.

There are three main ways a driver can be distracted. There are visual distractions that take a driver’s eyes off the road. There are manual distractions that take a driver’s hands off the steering wheel of the vehicle. Finally, there are cognitive distractions that take a driver’s attention off the task of driving.

Take, for example, texting and driving. Reading a text or replying to one takes a driver’s eyes off the road and onto their cellphone. Sending a text takes a driver’s hands off the steering wheel as they compose the text. Finally reading a text and deciding how to reply takes a driver’s mind off the task of driving. It is easy to see, then, how texting and driving can be so dangerous.

However, texting and driving is not the only way a driver can be distracted. Manipulating a navigation system or the radio can be distracting. Other examples of distractions include but are not limited to eating behind the wheel, grooming and talking to passengers.

If you are injured in a crash caused by a distracted driver, you may wonder what steps to take next. Some people choose to pursue a legal claim against the at-fault driver. A negligence claim may be one way to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and other damages suffered in the crash.

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