Any distraction that is present when you drive could prove to be deadly. Think about how dangerous it is to drive with your eyes closed. Most people won’t even walk with their eyes closed due to the danger.
Distractions are something that are the equivalent of driving with your eyes closed. If you take your eyes off the road for five seconds, which is the average time it takes to read a text, you could drive the length of a football field in that time if you are going 55 mph. The distance is even longer if you are going faster than that.
There are several different things that might distract you when you drive. Your phone, the radio, a GPS device, other passengers, food and similar factors are all possible distractions. Even your own mind is a distraction if you start to daydream or get lost in your thoughts.
In all of these cases, you could end up being so distracted that you end up in an accident. This is why you should always focus on the road instead of anything else. You might expect other drivers to do the same thing, but many drivers don’t fully focus on the road.
Distracted driving accidents that lead to injuries are the reason for some civil claims for compensation. Victims of these accidents can turn to the court to seek compensation from the distracted driver. If you are the injured party, you should find out about this so that you can decide if it is something you want to pursue.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Distracted Driving,” accessed Aug. 18, 2017
