Active phone distractions, such as texting and driving, can lead to serious car accidents. The driver has their phone in their hand, so they cannot hold the steering wheel with both hands. They are not looking at the road when they are looking down at the screen, and they are even mentally distracted as they think about their text message or what they want to write.
One mistake drivers make, however, is assuming that this distraction ends instantly when they finish their task on their phone. Someone who writes a text message at a red light and then puts their phone back in their pocket, for example, assumes they are not distracted at all. This is why they think it is safe to use their device in the car — as long as they are stopped while they do so.
Studies find that this assumption is inaccurate
Drivers may believe they are not distracted once they put the phone down, but studies find that the mental distraction actually lasts for an average of 27 more seconds. It just takes a little while for the driver to get their bearings and refocus on the traffic conditions around them or the complex task that is driving a modern motor vehicle.
But in some cases, this distraction can still prove very problematic. For instance, say that the light turns green and the driver starts into the intersection. But because they were looking at their phone, they do not realize that a police car, an ambulance or a firetruck is approaching that intersection. They should wait, even though the light has turned green, but the distraction stops them from doing so, and they drive into the intersection and strike the emergency vehicle.
This is just one example of how distracted driving can lead to serious accidents, and those who have been injured must know how to seek financial compensation for medical bills and more.