3 Causes of Distracted Driving In Virginia
Distracted driving is quickly becoming a widespread problem in the United States. Research shows that more than 200,000 people are injured or killed every year due to accidents involving distracted driving. Sadly, Virginia is also a part of this statistic as recent statistics compiled over a 5 year period indicate that were 951 killed and close to 95,000 injured as a result of distracted driving.
With the growing numbers of distracted drivers on our roads, the chances are increasing that you could be injured in a distracted driving accident. If that happens, there are lawyers experienced in distracted driving accidents who can help.
3 Types Of Distracted Driving
There are three types of distracted driving that increase the risk of accidents:
- Manual
- Visual
- Cognitive
Manual Distraction
A manual distraction occurs when the driver’s hand is off the wheel. This happens when the driver’s hand is off the wheel and occurs most frequently with eating or handling some sort of object.
While there’s no law in Virginia that says you can’t eat while driving, such activity can be very distracting. If the driver happens to drop or spill food, eating can also cause a cognitive distraction as attention is taken off the road.
There is, however, a new Virginia law that prohibits drivers from holding cell phones while driving. This is discussed in greater detail below.
Visual Distraction
A visual distraction occurs when the driver’s eyes are off the road. This happens when drivers look their phones, vehicle passengers, the dashboard, a roadside accident, etc.
Another activity that counts as a visual distraction is personal grooming. Checking hair or makeup in the mirror, putting in contacts, and cleaning glasses while driving may cause the driver to lose visual contact with the road and cause an accident.
Cognitive Distraction
Cognitive distractions are the riskiest because the driver’s mental attention is diverted from the task of driving. When a driver’s brain is focused on two tasks simultaneously, such as driving and talking on the phone, driving often becomes the lesser important task. When another task takes over as most important, driving ability becomes impaired.
New Cell Phone Use Law
Beginning January 1, 2021, Virginia law makes it illegal for drivers to hold cell phones while driving except in the case of an emergency or when the vehicle is stopped or parked.
Young Drivers
Young drivers are frequently more susceptible to distracted driving. Younger drivers are not as experienced in maintaining control of a vehicle during an emergency. This inexperience combined with distracted driving often puts them at greater risk of an accident. As a result of this greater risk, more young people are involved in distracted driving accidents than any other age group.
Work With An Expert Car Accident Lawyer In Virginia
Worried about paying your medical bills? Not sure how you’ll pay your rent because of a car accident?
If you or a loved one has been injured due to distracted driving caused by a negligent party, don’t hesitate to contact a trusted Virginia car accident lawyer who can help you get the compensation your case deserves.
When your family and health are on the line, we go into BATTLE for you!
The Ritchie Law Firm only represents victims of serious car accidents, and we’ve done that for nearly half a century. We don’t represent insurance companies. You can talk to us for free. We work on a contingency fee, which means there’s no fee unless we win your case.
