One way to look at distracted driving is by putting it into general categories. These don’t refer to specific actions. For instance, daydreaming is one of the most common types of distracted driving. But the main categories will encompass many different types of distraction to show how they impact safety on the roads.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have defined these categories as manual distractions, visual distractions and cognitive distractions. Let’s take a quick look at how they differ.
What is a manual distraction?
This is when someone isn’t holding the vehicle’s controls. Some examples are things that drivers consider necessary, like adjusting the mirrors or even programming a GPS. But others are things that drivers know are distracting, like picking up a cellphone.
What is a visual distraction?
Visual distractions are the easiest to understand, as they include anything that causes that driver to look away from the road. Technically speaking, even reading a billboard is a visual distraction. So is reading a text message.
What is a cognitive distraction?
Mental distractions are among the most problematic because they can happen without warning and they are a bit more difficult to identify. One of them is daydreaming, as noted above. If a driver’s mind begins to wander, they’re cognitively distracted, even if they don’t realize it until they cause a serious crash.
Distracted drivers cause accidents every day in the United States. If you have suffered injuries, you may be able to seek financial compensation. This compensation can help to replace lost wages, cover medical bills, compensate you for pain and suffering, and much more.