Every year in Texas, motor vehicle accidents of all types result in serious injuries to road users. One way in which they can be reduced is for motorists to have a keener understanding of the most commonplace causes of these types of serious and potentially deadly incidents. One the most frequent underlying causes of motor vehicle accidents is distracted driving. This is something that can easily be avoided, but far too many people engage in it to the detriment of their passengers, occupants of other vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
Definition of distracted driving
The definition of distracted driving is simple and straightforward. If a driver engages in any activity that takes attention off the road, that constitutes distracted driving.
Facts and figures about distracted driving
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, over 400,000 people are injured and more than 2,800 individuals are killed in distracted driving accidents on U.S. roadways on average each year. That equates to about 20% of all injuries in motor vehicle accidents.
The science behind distracted driving
A persistent misperception about distracted driving is that quickly glancing away from the road to check a text, change music or consult GPS is not a significant risk. The fact is that the biological mechanics of the brain demonstrate this is not the case. The brain requires approximately 13 seconds to refocus on the driving task at hand even when a driver glances away to check cellphone text for a brief period, adjust the GPS settings, have a conversation with a passenger, or eat or drink while behind the wheel.
