As you travel along on a highway or other road, you may notice other people glancing away from oncoming traffic to take a bite of food or checking how they look in the mirror.
No matter what happens around you, any form of distraction can possibly lead to a car crash.
Visual distractions
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even a few seconds of distraction from outside or inside the vehicle can lead to a person sideswiping or running into another car. When someone turns their head to look at a screen or another passenger, they reduce their reaction time.
This means it would take longer to come to a complete stop or swerve to avoid a collision. Although people may not assume taking their eyes off the road is important if it is only for a short period of time, it can affect their safety.
Cognitive distractions
When someone concentrates hard on something other than the people and vehicles around them, they may miss a person walking on a crosswalk or a large truck turning in their lane. This kind of distraction can include conversations on the phone or with another passenger.
Drowsiness can also play a part in some accidents since people can struggle to focus on the sounds and sights around them when tired.
Manual distractions
While a person may be looking at the road, lifting their hands off the wheel or their feet off the pedals to move around in their seat is still dangerous. The short amount of time between noticing an issue with traffic and being able to move the car can leave them at risk for an accident.
Learning about signs of distracted driving can help you stay safe.