Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving claimed 3,522 lives in 2021.
While any driver can be distracted, some have a higher chance than others. Below are three types of driver who are more likely to be distracted:
Drivers with child passengers
Parents or people with child passengers are more likely to be distracted. Kids can be active in the car – they may play with the window, throw things under the seats or fight. If a driver fails to use window safety locks or keep kids busy with devices, they may become distracted. And this can lead to an accident. Note that a driver may also be distracted by a kid’s device, perhaps helping them find their favorite video.
Those with unrestrained pets
Driving with a pet may decrease the feeling of loneliness. However, they should be restrained using a safety harness or indoor kennel /crates. And if a driver wants their pet to have fun, peeking out of the car window, they should have a passenger holding them. Unrestrained pets are distracting.
Drivers of transportation services
Drivers of transportation companies like Uber and Lyft are more likely to be distracted than other drivers because they need their phones to work.
They will look at their respective app to read a new rider request, decide if they should accept it and then respond to the alert. The few seconds they take to do this can lead to visual and cognitive distractions. Further, uber drivers heavily depend on GPS, which can be distracting.
If you are injured by a distracted driver, you should consider your options to receive just compensation. Contact a Denver car accident injury lawyer at Flesch and Beck today.
