Many drivers in and around Lafayette may admit that they find it hard to travel any distance without something distracting their attention. However, the significant number of lives lost due to distracted driving should be enough for most drivers to realize they need to stay focused on driving alone whenever they are behind the wheel.
Are you one of those whose life has become so fast paced that you often end up attempting to handle certain tasks while you are busy driving? These could include eating, doing makeup, shaving, catching up with Facebook posts, checking emails, and making phone calls or sending text messages. Any of these potential distractions could end up endangering your life and those within your vicinity on the roadways.
Types of distractions
Driving distractions are broken down into three categories, and many of these specific actions apply to more than one category. The first of the three categories are manual distractions. These require you to remove your hands from the steering wheel to do something other than driving, such as:
- Texting
- Eating, drinking and smoking
- Attending to the needs of a child
- Searching for something in your wallet or purse
- Adjusting the stereo or turning any other knobs or dials in your car
The second category of things that could lead to distracted driving are visual distractions. These distractions require you to look away from the road to do things like the following:
- Texting
- Looking for objects dropped on the floor
- Adjusting or checking your GPS
- Adjusting the stereo
- Fiddling with the temperature controls
- Doing makeup or shaving
- Checking your child’s seatbelt
- Enjoying the view
The third and final category is cognitive distractions. These following distractions cause your mind to lose focus from all things driving related:
- Checking text messages, Facebook posts and other cell phone activities
- Talking to your passengers
- Daydreaming
- Road rage
- Thinking negative thoughts
- Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs
Although it is tough to avoid distractions while driving, it is possible. You can switch your mobile phone to silent mode and put it away to prevent temptation, eat and drink before taking to the road, make sure you are well rested, and set your GPS and stereo before leaving. However, if you are the conscientious driver and another distracted driver causes an accident that leaves you suffering the consequences, you might have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit.
Victims of distracted driving car accidents in Lafayette and the surrounding areas may find comfort in knowing that an experienced personal injury attorney can assist with the pursuit to recover damages on a contingency basis. You may also be relieved to find that not all cases need litigation. With the support and guidance of an attorney, your claim for financial and emotional damages might be settled out of court.
