Distracted Driving and How You Can Spot a Distracted Driver

In 2012 an estimated 421,000 people were injured in motor vehicle accidents involving distracted driving – this is a 9% increase from 2011.

As reported by the CDC, nearly 1 in 5 motor vehicle crashes in which someone was injured, involved distracted driving. Multitasking while driving, or distracted driving, has become one of the top risk factors for traffic accidents in United States.

What is distracted driving?

According to the NHTSA, the Official US Government Website for Distracted Driving, “Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety”.

Examples of Distracted Driving:

• Texting
• Emailing
• Using a cell phone in any way
• Eating and drinking
• Personal grooming
• Talking to passengers
• Using a navigation system
• Adjusting music (radio, MP3 player, CD player)

Any other behavior that forces you to take your eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or mind off driving, is also classified as distracted driving.

Knowing signs to look for to spot a distracted driver can help you avoid a wreck or possibly minimize the severity of an accident.

Signs That a Driver is Distracted

• Drifting or swerving from lane
• Sudden breaking in reaction to normal traffic stops
• Running red lights or stop signs
• Following too closely
• Stopping longer than necessary at traffic stops
• Driving much slower or faster than the speed limit or flow of traffic

For a visual overview of distracted driving statistics and the risks associated, check out the infographic below from distracteddriveraccidents.com.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney near you if You’ve Been In A Distracted Driving Accident

With three offices located in Georgia including Savannah, Atlanta, and Athens, rest assured that The Brown Firm can help you understand your legal options and fight for the compensation and benefits that you deserve.

To schedule a free consultation with a Lawyer after car accident, call us at (888) 391-9112 or click the link below

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Check out our previous post on CDC drowsy driving study – Are you at risk? 

Sources:

1. https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving
2. http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/distracted_driving/
3. http://distracteddriveraccidents.com/dangers-distracted-driving-infographic/