Distracted driving is one of the most common causes of vehicular crashes in the United States and second on the list of reasons behind car crashes in Texas. In 2020 alone, one in five car crashes in Texas were caused by distracted driving, which resulted in nearly 500 deaths and more than 2,000 critical injuries. Less than a second of distraction from the road ahead can result in devastating car crashes and put everyone on the road in danger of losing their lives.
Distractions can involve a wide range of activities that have the potential of diverting your attention from the road. Not all distractions are necessarily electronic devices, and no matter how safe you think something is if it has the potential to divide your attention, it is dangerous. The knowledgeable Dallas car accident attorneys have provided some of the most common causes of distracted driving in Texas.
Smartphones
Texting or calling while driving diverts your attention from the road and increases the risk of a serious car accident. According to official estimates, the use of smartphones while driving is responsible for more than 25 percent of all traffic accidents. Despite hundreds of awareness campaigns each year, this dangerous practice results in hundreds of deaths and thousands of serious physical injuries and deaths each year.
Eating or Drinking
Eating or drinking while driving not only distracts you from the traffic on the road but also impairs your reflexes. When you have food in one hand and have the other hand on the steering wheel, it becomes very challenging to react to any sudden traffic situations transpiring around your vehicle. You should try your best to finish your food at home or office and always avoid eating or drinking in your car.
Grooming
Failing to get ready for work in the morning can prompt you to apply makeup behind the wheel. Grooming, whether applying makeup or brushing your hair, requires hand-eye coordination, and it is not something that can be done while paying full attention to the traffic around your car. If you feel the need to touch up your makeup or comb your hair, you should park your car at the side of the road away from oncoming traffic to reduce the risk of getting involved in an unfortunate crash.
Loud Music
Loud music can also divert your focus and impair your concentration. When you play music in your car, you have to take your eyes off the road to manipulate volume controls, which requires you to take your hand off the steering wheel and shift your focus to the music system. Manipulation of music controls, while seemingly harmless, accounts for more than two percent of all vehicular accidents in the United States.
Conclusion
Distracted driving can be caused by many things, some of which have been described above. It is important to note that all these things are completely avoidable, and accidents resulting from distracted driving, in most cases, can be avoided by devoting your full attention to the road. If you or your loved one got involved in an unfortunate distracted driving accident in Texas, it is crucial to hire experienced attorneys to obtain fair financial compensation for damages resulting from the accident.
