It’s natural for drivers to encounter various distractions. But it’s also their responsibility to manage their responses to these distractions. Distractions come in three types:
Visual Distractions – These take a driver’s eye off the road
Manual Distractions – These prompt drivers into taking their hands off the wheel
Cognitive or Mental Distractions – These lure drivers to think of other things instead of focusing on just driving
Texting is particularly hazardous because it demands a driver’s visual, mental, and manual focus. Statistics from the National Safety Council are especially sobering:
Drivers who are texting are more likely to cause auto accidents than intoxicated drivers.
Texting while driving raises the chance of causing a crash by as much as 23 times.
Texting, even for five seconds, while driving at a speed of 55mph is similar to driving the length of a football field blindfolded.
But despite the strict laws that ban texting and cellphone use while driving, drivers engage in this dangerous behavior, compromising their safety and those of innocent road users.