The risk of a crash is ever-present whenever you are on the road, and a moment of distraction could be disastrous. All it takes is a split-second for you to potentially find yourself in a deadly collision.
Given that human error is among the leading causes of accidents, driver distraction is a significant factor in road safety. Therefore, to be on the safe side, you should always have your senses on the road whenever you are behind the wheel.
Forms of driver distraction
Many people picture a distracted driver as a person using their phone while driving. While that may be the most common form of distraction for drivers today, it is not the only one. Anything that takes your attention off the road is a distraction.
Manual distraction can occur when you let go of the steering wheel to do something else like attending to your baby or texting. Auditory distraction happens when the noise inside your vehicle prevents you from hearing whatever is happening around your environment, such as tires screeching, which may be a potential indicator of danger.
The statistics on distracted driving
Over 3,000 deaths annually and hundreds of thousands of injuries are reported across the country – this is the reality of distracted driving. Unfortunately, no matter the efforts made to combat the habit, the chances are that you are driving among distracted drivers every day. This is why you need to be extra vigilant and well prepared in the event of a crash.
Knowing what to do after such an accident will go a long way in safeguarding your legal rights. In addition, it will ensure that the responsible driver is held accountable and that you are adequately compensated for any injuries or damage to property you suffer.