Car accidents are caused by many different factors but one of the biggest factors contributing to car accidents these days is distracted driving. Distracted driving is very dangerous and the government reported that 3,331 people were killed in accidents caused by distracted drives in 2011.
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and safety organizations are trying to educate all drivers about the dangers of being distracted behind the wheel. There are many different types of distractions that can cause car accidents, so it is important for drivers to understand the types of behaviors that take their attention off the road and put them at risk for being in a car accident.
Distracted driving is defined as any behavior that takes the driver's attention away from driving. The most common types of distractions include texting, talking or emailing on a cellphone, eating, talking to other passengers, reading maps or directions, using GPS devices and changing the radio or CD player.
While all of these behaviors are dangerous, texting while driving has been found to be most dangerous because it takes the driver's attention off the road for a longer amount of time. Studies found that sending or reading a text message take's a driver's eyes off the road for 4.6 second, which is a very long time, especially when the vehicle is driving at faster speeds. Studies have also reported drivers texting behind the wheel are 23 times more likely to be in an accident.
All of these behaviors divert a driver's attention off the road and increase the chances of being in a car crash. Drivers need to become more aware of their behavior behind the wheel to increase their own safety as well as everyone else on the road.
Source: Distraction, "What is distracted driving?"
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