Texting isn’t the only form of distracted driving

On Behalf of | Feb 22, 2020 | Motor Vehicle Accidents |

Multitasking may receive praise in the workplace, but it’s something everyone should avoid behind the wheel. According to recent data, around nine people die every day due to distracted driving incidents. While most people associate these crashes from people texting behind the wheel, many things could take a motorist’s attention off the road.

There’s more than one type

According to Esurance, there are three specific kinds of distracted driving. Those include:

  • Visual: Taking one’s eyes off or not looking at the road.
  • Manual: Not having one’s hands adequately placed on the wheel.
  • Cognitive: Not paying attention to driving in general.

All of these functions play a critical role in a safe and successful driving trip. Misuse in any of these functions could result in a driver hurting themselves or others. Esurance says that texting and driving is the most dangerous form of distracted driving because it encompasses all three types of distracted driving.

What are the others?

While texting and driving is by far the most common and dangerous form of distracted driving, these are a few others that could put motorists at risk:

  • Consuming food or nonalcoholic beverages.
  • Too many passengers making noise in the back seat.
  • Looking at distractions out the window like a billboard or city skyline.
  • Thinking about other things aside from driving.
  • Picking fallen objects up off the floor.
  • Playing around with the radio too much.
  • Listening to music too loud.

Multitasking and driving is never a good idea

In today’s hectic world, it can be tempting to try and do everything at once. However, it’s not always worth the injuries and damages that can come as a result.