If someone tells you that there are three types of distracted driving, you may tell them that they are wrong. You know that there are actually many different types of distracted driving, from making a phone call to using a GPS system to talking to passengers.
It is true that there are a multitude of examples of distracted driving. It takes many different forms. A lot of them involve the use of a cellphone. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has divided distraction into three main categories.
1. Visual distractions
These start with distractions that prevent someone from being visually engaged with their surroundings. Looking at a passenger while driving is an example of a visual distraction. So is reading a billboard or looking at a cellphone screen.
2. Manual distractions
Next, there are distractions that take people’s hands off of the controls, even though they’re still looking at the road. An example of this could be a parent who is reaching behind them to try to hand snacks to their children. They are attempting not to get distracted, which is why they’re looking at the road, but this is still not as safe as being completely engaged with the act of driving the car.
3. Cognitive distractions
Finally, many drivers are just mentally distracted. Some of them are daydreaming. Others are thinking about work. Still, others are just driving on a road that they have been down so many times that it feels boring and routine, so they are not paying attention.
All of these distractions can cause accidents. Those who get injured by other drivers need to know how to seek financial compensation.