The dangers of distracted driving

By now, most New York residents know that distracted driving is a major cause of many car accidents. Unfortunately, the problem doesn’t seem to be going away.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that drivers who look away from the road for just 2 or more seconds double their accident risk and doing something else while driving, such as using a cell phone, increases the chance of an accident 2 to 3 times. Approximately 80% of New York car accidents are caused by distracted driving.

As a driver in New York, you should always pay attention to the road and follow all traffic laws. However, no matter how careful you drive, you can still be the victim of a distracted driver.

Distracted driving comes in many forms

You may assume distracted driving only refers to cell phone use, but there are many types of distracted driving. Three main types of distractions are:

• Internal distractions
• External distractions
• Personal distractions

Internal distractions are things happening inside your vehicle while you try to drive. Children, pets or other passengers may cause you to lose focus on the road.

External distractions are things happening outside the car. Other drivers are a common external distraction, but bad weather or even a quick glance out a side window to look at a nice view are external distractions.

Personal distractions are things you do yourself while driving which increase the risk of an accident. Fiddling with the radio, driving while intoxicated and using a phone are personal distractions.

Help for distracted driving victims

As a car accident victim, you may find yourself facing immediate troubles such as high medical bills and time missed from work. Long term consequences could involve major mental and emotional distress. You might be afraid to ever get behind the wheel of a car again.

Speaking with an attorney about your car accident can be beneficial. A personal injury claim might result in compensation for your losses and damages.