Operating a vehicle naturally takes a significant portion of a driver’s attention. While you might consider it important to focus only on the road when driving, unfortunately, you cannot control the actions of others, some of whom may not make such sound decisions.
It may be easy to identify the signs of distraction among drivers, whether from one who constantly drifts in and out of a lane or another who is late to respond to a traffic light. However, reacting quickly enough to avoid a sudden and unexpected movement made by a nearby driver could be significantly more challenging.
Categories and examples of distracted driving
Distracted driving has been the cause of far too many collisions, and if you have been the victim of such negligence, you may have suffered serious injuries in the process. Perhaps you wish to pursue restitution for your injuries. If so, understanding the types of distraction among drivers could prove beneficial, which may often include the following:
- Visual distraction: Any action that causes a driver to divert his or her eyes off the road, such as reading a text or changing a radio station, is dangerous, even if the action only lasts a couple of seconds. In that brief moment, a vehicle travelling 55 miles per hour can cover a couple hundred feet without the driver’s awareness.
- Manual distraction: Taking one or both hands off the wheel inherently reduces one’s ability to safely operate a vehicle. Regardless of how good a person feels he or she is at multitasking, attempting to eat or drink, or even apply makeup, while driving is hazardous at best.
- Cognitive distraction: While a phone conversation may not require drivers to divert their eyes from the road, it can take up a significant portion of their concentration, subsequently making it more difficult to focus on the task at hand.
Certain actions, such as texting, could fall under all three types of distraction, thus making them extremely dangerous. If distraction was a contributing factor in your accident, you may have grounds to pursue compensation, but perhaps you are uncertain how to proceed.
Proving negligence
Suffering serious injuries in a collision can be difficult to accept, especially if they occur at the hands of a distracted driver. Unfortunately, proving such negligence could be challenging, potentially prompting a need for guidance for the road ahead. You could speak with someone with experience in this area, as well as knowledge in Georgia state traffic laws, for assistance in navigating the process, which may prove beneficial to pursuing the compensation you deserve and shifting your focus toward recovery.