Cellphone use while driving is a problem in New Jersey and throughout the nation. That is why ongoing local and state initiatives are targeted at reducing the instances of cellphone distracted driving incidents to make roads safer. However, cellphones are not the only source of distracted driving that plague American roads.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, distracted driving can be classified into three types: manual, visual and cognitive. This post will discuss each type and will provide examples of what they are.
Manual distractions
Manual distractions are distractions that take drivers’ hands off the wheels of their vehicles. Cellphones are manual distractions, but so are food items, personal grooming items, maps and books, and even interior car features like knobs, dials and screens. Drivers who take their hands from their wheels place themselves and others at risk of injury through accidents.
Visual distractions
Cellphones are also visual distractions because they take drivers’ eyes off the roads. When a driver lets their gaze fall on a screen, passenger, roadside accident, or other form of visual stimulation, they may fall prey to a visual distraction. Visual distractions are dangerous because distracted drivers can miss hazards in roadways.
Cognitive distractions
A final form of driving distraction is cognitive distraction. These distractions do not come from external sources, but rather from internal thoughts, feelings, and sensations. A driver may be cognitively distracted if they are worried about their kids or thinking about a big meeting at work. Cognitive distractions take drivers’ attention away from driving and can cause accidents.
Distracted driving is dangerous in all forms. Victims may have rights to seek compensation when distracted drivers cause them injuries.