When you’re looking for examples of distracted driving, they are nearly endless. Texting and driving is the main one that people often discuss, but things like eating food, talking to passengers, changing the radio station or dealing with children are also common distractions.
A better way to break this down is to divide it into different categories based on the type of distraction that the driver is experiencing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have done this, so it’s worth considering the categories they’ve selected.
Manual distractions
It starts with manual distractions, which happen when you take your hands away from the controls and the steering wheel. Reaching for the radio is a manual distraction, and so is holding a cellphone.
Cognative distractions
Even things that don’t make you let go of the wheel can be mentally distracting. Thinking about a project at work or an argument you had with your spouse are both examples of cognitive distractions. So is thinking about a text message that you received, even after you’re done reading it.
Visual distractions
Finally, visual distractions are those that take your eyes off of the road. A parent who turns around to talk to a child is experiencing a visual distraction, as is someone who looks at their phone to try to pick a new song off of their playlist.
It is certainly possible for drivers to experience all three types of distractions at the same time. If you are injured in an accident caused by one of these drivers, then you need to seek financial compensation.