What Are the Differences Between Physical and Mental Distractions When Driving? Distracted driving is often talked about. People are quick to bring up how drivers take their eyes off the wheel to look at a cellphone or other device. While it is true that electronic devices do distract drivers, they are not the only things that take our minds off the important task of driving without distraction. There are many different physical distractions and mental distractions that can create risks when driving. Too often, drivers think they can multitask efficiently. The truth is, driving needs to be a person’s main focus when they are in the driver’s seat. Accidents happen when drivers are distracted. After a Florida car accident, talk to an experienced Sarasota car accident lawyer about how to deal with a car accident, especially one where distracted driving is involved. How Physical and Mental Distractions Differ When a person physically removes their hands from the controls or twists their body to talk to passengers in the backseat, they are physically distracted from the task of driving. Mental distractions are when an individual is thinking about a past event or daydreaming and not paying attention. There are many driving distractions, mental and physical, including the following:
- Unwrapping sandwiches or eating other food items
- Sipping or stirring beverages
- Talking or gesturing to others in the car
- Putting on makeup or fixing hair
- Turning your head to look at other crashes on the road
- Calling or texting friends, family, or coworkers
- Looking for an item on the dash, floor, or seats of the car
- Obsessing over a past emotional event
- Becoming more involved and paying more attention to a radio program or podcast than the road
- Changing music or adjusting climate controls
The Myth of Driving Safely and Multitasking When you are behind the wheel, you need to focus on driving. Multitasking, coping with or doing more than one task at the same time, can be a dangerous pursuit when driving. It is common for people to believe they can efficiently multitask, particularly if one of the activities feels natural or is done very often. While many drive every day and the task of driving feels natural, the reality is driving conditions can change without notice. Focus is essential. If physical or mental distractions are vying for your attention, pull over. Also, you can wait and do the different activities when you are not behind the wheel of a moving car. If you are in an accident, talk to a Sarasota car accident lawyer. An experienced attorney is able to assess the details of your accident and determine if another party, possibly a distracted driver, was negligent. Always focus when driving. Distractions have caused drivers to be involved in accidents with catastrophic injuries and death. Car accident injuries can result in high medical bills, lost wages, and intangible losses. When that happens, knowledgeable personal injury attorneys can help.
Tell the Insurance Companies, You’re Going to Hale Were you injured because of the behavior of a distracted driver? If you were injured because of another’s negligence or distracted driving, the
Sarasota car accident lawyers at Hale Law can help. Our lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means there are no fees or costs if we are unable to recover compensation for you. For a free consultation, call us at 941-735-4529 anytime.
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