Any experienced personal injury attorney will tell you that distracted driving is a growing threat to Chicago’s motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists alike. In fact, studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that in 2010, nearly one in five car crashes in which an individual suffered an injury was caused by distracted driving. Read through this article for more information about distracted driving.
Distraction Types
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Distracted driving is defined as participating in another activity that takes your attention away from the road. There are three main types of distractions: visual, manual, and cognitive. Visual distractions refer to activities that take your mind off the road, while manual distractions occur when you take your hands off the wheel. Cognitive distractions involve anything that takes your mind away from driving. However, many activities may be classified as more than one type of distraction. For example, texting while driving is a visual, manual, and cognitive distraction, whereas talking to a passenger may only classify as a cognitive distraction.
Common Driver Distractions
Drivers may be distracted by a number of items or activities. Some of the most common distractions are caused by texting or talking on a cell phone, eating, shaving or putting on makeup, changing CDs or tuning the radio, and talking to passengers. While these distractions can affect individuals of any age, younger and more inexperienced drivers tend to be involved in the highest number of distraction-related fatal crashes.
Auto Accident Injuries
The injuries sustained in auto accidents due to distracted driving can range from moderate lacerations to severe, catastrophic injuries. Some common injuries include whiplash, lacerations to the face and arms, dislocated and broken bones, concussions, and spinal injuries.
Understanding Negligence
Negligence is a legal term defined as the failure to exercise reasonable care towards others, or act in a way that any other reasonable person would do in under the same circumstances. Negligence is the basis for most personal injury cases, including those related to slip and fall accidents, premises liability, and auto accidents. In order to file a personal injury claim on the grounds of negligence, the injured person must prove that the defendant owed them a specific duty of care, that the duty was breached, and that the defendant’s action or inaction directly led to the injury.