Surveys among drivers of all ages reveal that teen drivers are more likely to engage in distracting behaviors while driving. This includes:
Making phone calls
Texting
Eating
Talking to friends
Most states have laws forbidding distracted driving, but these tend to vary from state to state. This sometimes makes it difficult to understand exactly what is illegal in a certain area.
However, if an activity causes a driver of any age to lose focus, fail to pay attention, or otherwise be distracted, that activity should not be engaged in while driving.
The rise in popularity and the rapid advancements seen in cell phones has been a leading cause of distracted driving among teens. As a group, teen drivers are more likely to speed and to follow too closely. This means in the event an obstacle appears in their path, like a pedestrian or a slowing vehicle, a teen will have less time to avoid a collision. If even a momentary delay in observing the obstacle occurs, it may make the difference between a teen's ability to avoid a crash and becoming the cause of an accident.
Checking a new email message, looking at or sending a text message, or browsing the internet can take a driver's eyes off the road for critical seconds. This leaves the driver with the inability to notice changes in traffic conditions, including a changing traffic light.
Every year, more and more drivers admit that they were responsible for a crash because they were looking at their cell phones instead of the road. Further, many of these collisions result in injuries or even death. Teen driver accident attorneys in Chicago are very aware of these distractions.