What is considered to be driving while distracted?
A
Most people think of Distracted Driving as relating to talking on your cell phone or texting while driving. While these are definitely the primary culprits, as an personal injury lawyer handling car accident cases throughout the Dallas-Ft. Worth-Arlington areas, I have learned that Distracted Driving can be anything which takes your attention from what you should be doing: focusing on driving from A to B safely.
There are 3 main types of distraction:
Visual - taking your eyes off the road
Manual - taking your hands off the wheel
Cognitive - taking your mind off what you're doing
Examples of distraction might include:
Conducting conversations while driving - research shows that even speaking to a passenger in your car may be equally as distracting as talking on your cell phone while driving.
Reaching for an item while driving - whether this is something that has fallen to the floor, is on the back seat, in the glove box, etc.
Disciplining children while driving - while driving you just need to make sure that they are strapped in and you are focused on the road.
Eating and drinking while driving - with all the drive-thrus in North Texas it sure can be tempting to grab a burger on the road. But you only have two hands - and they should both be on the wheel.
Basically, paying attention to anything other than the task at hand - whether it's the car radio, your cell phone or the scenery - can be dangerous when you're operating a motor vehicle.
If you or a loved one are hurt in an accident caused by a Distracted Driver in the Fort Worth area contact the Anderson Law Firm for a free consultation on your case to see if you can make a claim. Call 1-800-345-MARK or 817-294-1900.
