Distracted driving: Staying Focused When On The Road
It’s 7 a.m., and you jump in your car to drive to work. You have every intention of driving safely, but within minutes of merging onto the highway you’ve already checked your makeup twice, fiddled with your radio, made two calls on your cellphone and sent a text message to your spouse.
You might not have realized it, but you’re a distracted driver.
Every time you take your focus off the road, even if just for a second, you’re putting your life and the lives of others in danger. Distracted driving-related crashes are rising and already have caused at least 5,500 deaths and nearly 450,000 injuries in 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. However, since many local law enforcement agencies don’t routinely document distraction factors in crash reports, federal safety officials believe the numbers are actually much higher.
What are the types of distraction?
There are three main types of distraction:
· Visual: taking your eyes off the road;
· Manual: taking your hands off the wheel; and
· Cognitive: taking your mind off of driving.
Distracted Driving Activities
Distracted driving activities include things like using a cell phone, texting, and eating. Using in-vehicle technologies (such as navigation systems) can also be sources of distraction. While any of these distractions can endanger the driver and others, texting while driving is especially dangerous because it combines all three types of distraction.
“Driving a car is a very complex task, it requires your complete attention. All it takes is a glance away for more than two seconds and you can get into serious trouble.” says Barbara Harsha, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association, which estimates that distractions are associated with 15 to 25 percent of all crashes.
Distracted driving is any activity that takes your attention away from the road. When you drive every day, distractions are more common than you think. From talking with passengers, to eating, to turning around to check on fidgety toddlers, distracted driving endangers you, your passengers, pedestrians and others. Driving is a great privilege, but with that privilege also comes great responsibility.
Finding a distracted driving attorney in Lakeland Florida can be challenging, but when you find one you will be glad you did. They can provide you with detailed steps to take in order to protect your legal rights. This can be anything from medical facility recommendations all the way to auto-repair shops. Mark McMann, P.A. in Lakeland FL is an Experienced Distracted Driving Attorney that can help you on each step of the way.