Have you ever been in a car accident? It’s not just frustrating; it can be downright traumatic. When we think about distracted driving behaviors that cause auto accidents, there are three main culprits: talking on the phone (or texting), using a cell phone for anything other than navigation or music playback, and drinking alcohol before getting behind the wheel. These distractions are leading causes of car accidents.
If you have ever been injured in a car accident caused due to distracted driving, it is very essential to seek the legal assistance of a car accident lawyer in Kent. A car accident lawyer can help you in many ways in the event of a car accident.
For now, we will see the most common driving distractions that cause car accidents in Kent.
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Texting
When the National Safety Council analyzed the data from 2012 and 2013, they found that texting while driving is the single largest cause of distracted driving-related accidents. In 2013, 3,154 car accidents that resulted in injury were caused by texting while driving. Distraction.gov reports that texting while driving is six times as dangerous as talking on a cell phone behind the wheel.
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Eating and drinking
When you’re behind the wheel, your entire attention should be on the road. Eighty percent of accidents are caused by something that distracts the driver, and eating is a major culprit. The National Transportation Safety Board found that 8% of car accidents caused by driver inattention were related to eating, drinking, or smoking while driving.
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Talking to passengers
Talking to other passengers or kids in the car can also be dangerous because it takes your attention away from the road. It would help if you remembered that your children and passengers could be passengers in a car accident.
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Using navigation system
Using GPS navigation systems or other types of navigation devices can also cause distracted driving accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “viewing a mapping system can take an average of 27 seconds of looking away from the road.”
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Adjusting controls
The driver should not touch any part of the car except the steering wheel. Adjusting climate controls, changing stations on the radio, and tuning knobs all take your attention away from driving and are major causes of auto accidents caused by driver distraction.
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Grooming
Make-up, clothing, and other personal items can distract a driver, especially if the driver is not paying attention. Therefore, grooming from the car can be a significant reason to distract the driver and then cause an accident.
