Driver distraction is a primary cause of avoidable crashes in Riverside. A distraction takes a driver’s eyes, hands, or mind off the road for long enough to make a crash more likely.
Riverside is on key traffic routes in Southern California that see many commuters and businesses. There are many cars on urban arterials and neighboring highways in this area all the time. Many wounded drivers later talk to an experienced distracted driving accident lawyer in Riverside to learn how to prove that someone else was at fault for their injuries.
There are three main types of distracted driving: visual, manual, and cognitive. Some actions involve all three at once, which greatly increases the chance of a crash.
How Dangerous Is Driving While Distracted?
Driving while distracted is still a big safety problem across the country. According to federal safety data, thousands of people die every year because they drive while not paying attention. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that distracted driving deaths are still a large part of all road mortality.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also say that using devices and doing multiple things at once while driving might lead to more crashes that cause injuries. Even little shifts in attention might make stopping distances longer and cause you to miss hazards.
What Phone Calls Cause the Most Crashes?
Using a cell phone while driving is still the most common cause of accidents in modern crash reports. Both handed and hands-free interactions can make your reaction time slower.
Some risky phone habits include:
- Sending texts or messages while driving
- Dialing numbers or looking for contacts
- Using applications for social media
- Watching or recording videos
Texting is extremely dangerous since it takes your eyes, hands, and mind off of the road all at once.
Do In-Car Activities Create Serious Risk?
Many drivers focus on phones and overlook other common distractions inside the vehicle. Everyday tasks can still interfere with safe control.
Some examples include:
- Eating or drinking
- Changing the music or navigation systems
- Reaching for things that have fallen
- Driving while grooming
These things commonly happen as traffic is moving, which makes reaction times even shorter.
Are Passengers and Kids a Distraction?
Passenger interactions can make it hard to pay attention, especially in heavy traffic. Talking, fighting, or turning around to talk to kids might take your attention away from the road.
Risk increases when drivers:
- Turn away from the windshield
- Take care of things for passengers
- Take care of child restraints while driving
When looking at signs of distraction, crash investigators often look at what passengers said.
What proof is there that a driver was not paying attention?
Distraction is established through a convergence of evidential sources. That means that claims frequently depend on objective records instead of assumptions.
Some common types of proof are:
- Phone call logs and time stamps
- Recorders for vehicle data
- Video from traffic and dash cameras
- What witnesses saw
These logs assist in figuring out what the motorist was doing right before the crash.
Key Takeaways
- One of the main causes of serious and avoidable accidents is driving while distracted.
- Using a phone is the most dangerous thing to do while driving.
- Everyday chores that you do in your car can make it harder to manage the vehicle safely.
- Sometimes, talking to other passengers makes you lose focus.
- Federal and public health data show that people are still dying from distractions.
- Phone logs and video evidence are routinely used in legal cases.
- Short gaps in concentration might lead to very serious accidents.
