Types of Distracted Driving

Auto accidents are caused by many types of driver negligence, including intoxicated driving, violations of traffic laws, and even road rage, but the most widespread form is distracted driving. These distractions can occur only in seconds or less at a time, but this is all the time it takes to cause an accident which can result in serious injuries and even death.

The U.S. government estimated that over 424,000 Americans were injured in auto accidents caused by distracted driving in 2013 alone, and the rise of mobile phone use, particularly for texting and social media, has only worsened this problem in the time since.

While distracted driving is becoming more commonly associated with mobile phone use, it defines any behavior while operating a motor vehicle which causes one or more of the following:

• Visual distraction, which takes your eyes off the road;
• Manual distraction, in which you remove your hands from the steering wheel;
• Cognitive distraction, which takes your mental focus away from operating the vehicle

Common distracted driving behaviors include:

• Eating or drinking
• Checking a map or GPS system
• Changing the radio
• Reading
• Shaving or hair-brushing
• Texting, talking, and other mobile phone use

The danger of texting while driving is a deadly combination of all three forms of distraction: cognitive, in which you are focusing on the text message; visual, when you take your eyes off the road and look at the phone; and manual, when you use one or both hands to send or view a text message. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute has even found that texting while driving can make drivers up to twenty-three times more likely to cause an accident on the road.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a distracted driver, contact 844 See Mike, LLC for a free consultation. We are a Chicago-based injury law firm representing individuals (and their families) who have suffered an injury in an accident. We will handle your case quickly and advise you every step of the way, and we will not hesitate to go to trial for you.

Lastly, 844 See Mike is not paid attorneys’ fees unless we win your case. Our no-fee promise is that simple. You have nothing to risk when you hire us – only the opportunity to seek justice.