As you travel to and from your desired destinations each day, you may be no stranger to sharing Indiana roads with a multitude of drivers. It might not always be easy to tell how the decisions of those nearby might affect your safety, and unfortunately, even a momentary lapse of judgment could be all it takes to create a hazardous situation.
There are a variety of scenarios in which nearby drivers might lose focus on the task at hand, and they might not even be aware of how dangerous succumbing to distraction can be. Knowing the hazards involved with distracted driving could help you prepare to mitigate safety risks and take a defensive approach to driving.
The risks involved
Even a moment of inattention while behind the wheel of a motor vehicle may lead to a greater risk of an unfortunate outcome. Some of the reasons why distracted driving is so dangerous may include:
- Hands off the wheel: Any type of action that forces you to take one or both hands off the wheel can disrupt your ability to react to the situations that arise. Reaching down to change the radio station is just one example of such an action.
- Eyes off the road: Reading a text message or punching an address into a GPS device are types of actions that could force you to take your eyes off the road and diminish your ability to maintain awareness of your surroundings.
- Divide of attention: Cognitive distractions can involve anything that takes your mind off the task at hand, and a divide in focus can make it difficult to track objects and make snap judgment calls.
- A dangerous combination: Some types of distractions may even fall under two or even all three of these categories, and combining manual, visual and cognitive distractions can be a dangerous mixture.
While taking steps to maintain constant focus on the task at hand could help you promote a safer driving atmosphere, is it always feasible to expect others to take the same approach to safety?
Distracted driving accidents
Distracted driving plays a role in many major collisions, and if you encounter a driver who exhibits such negligence, you could be the one left suffering the consequences. The outcome of your crash could leave you with severe or life-altering injuries, and dealing with the changes this can bring to your life can be a daunting process. The idea of facing high medical costs and a loss of wages during recovery could also leave you in search of advice on the steps to take to safeguard your financial future.
