Every day, residents in Montana utilize roadways across the state to get to and from various destinations. While this is practically a routine for most drivers, this does not mean it is free from dangers or hazards. Even when drivers take extra precautions to drive safe and follow the rules of the road, this does not protect the person from drivers who fail to uphold the duty to drive safely while behind the wheel of a vehicle. In some cases, a simple act or distraction could lead to a tragic collision involving serious injuries, severe damages, and even deaths.
How does distracted driving lead to automobile collisions? According to the Center for Disease Control, there are three main types of distractions that could cause a car accident. First, a visual distraction could be a form of distracted driving. This occurs when the driver takes the person's eyes off of the road. This could easily occur when the driver looks at their phone, writes a text or reads an email.
Next, manual distractions could be the cause of a distracted driving crash. This happened when the driver takes the person's hands off of the wheel. When a driver is using a phone, eats, drinks touches knobs in the vehicle or reaches for an object, the person causes manual distractions.
Lastly, cognitive distractions could be the cause of distracted driving. This occurs when the driver's mind is taken off the task of driving. Conversations on the phone or with passengers in the vehicle could do this, especially if the conversation is emotional. The mind of the driver becomes focused on the content of the conversation, causing the person to lose focus on the road and even on the task of driving safely.
Distracted driving is a major issue on the roadway. In fact, more than nine individuals are killed every day in the U.S. by a distracted driver. Additionally, more than 1,153 individuals are harmed in distracted driving accidents every day. As these statistics point out, it is important to address distracted driving and ways to reduce the occurrence of accidents caused by it.
Those harmed in a car accident should seek to understand the cause of the crash. If a distracted driver was the cause of the collision, it might be possible to hold the driver responsible for the injuries, damages, and losses caused by the crash.