Distracted Driving Is More Dangerous Than Most Drivers Are Willing to Admit
Distracted driving has become a significant topic regarding dangerous car accidents. This phenomenon is the reason behind more fatal crashes than most people are aware of. It’s also an important topic because distracted driving comes in many forms and can be confusing. Of course, it’s perhaps most dangerous in traffic, which is one of the areas where it’s most common.
Here’s how this state of driving is more dangerous than most drivers are willing to admit.
Distracted driving is responsive for numerous car accidents
The number of people who die each year due to distracted driving is much higher than most would assume. According to Forbes, this number has grown to around 3,000 fatalities each year. This equates to about 8 to 9 percent of all fatal car accidents in the United States. In fact, 3,142 people died in 2020 due to this type of driving.
Collisions caused by distracted driving, like all car accidents, can be pretty widespread. Yes, 3,142 people died in 2020 as a result of drivers being distracted, but there were fewer accidents than that. This number came from 2,880 car accidents, but there were several people involved in many of these incidents.
Forbes also points out that it’s not only people in vehicles who are impacted by distracted driving. Unfortunately, there were 587 pedestrians and cyclists who lost their lives as a result in 2020. On average, about 9 people die each day from drivers who aren’t paying attention to the road and their surroundings.
Three types of distracted driving
Many drivers may not be aware that there are three official types of distracted driving. The first category, visual distractions, is perhaps the most common. As the name suggests, this includes anything you can see that takes your attention away from the road. This could be looking at billboards, scenery, GPS, etc.
Manual distractions make up the next category. These behaviors include anything that causes you to remove your hands from the wheel. This could be eating while driving, texting, doing things with the radio, etc. There are also cognitive distractions, which include activities like singing, talking, or anything else that could cause a driver to lose focus on the road.
Though not the leading cause of fatalities, distracted driving causes more accidents than any other infraction. This is a growing trend, and it’s concerning because people can do it without realizing it. It’s important to remember that operating a vehicle is a serious task and requires your undivided attention to keep everyone safe.
