Tis the Season for Distracted Driving

Three primary types of distractions can result in car accidents: visual, manual, and cognitive. Although distracted driving is a huge problem on our roads any time of year, the holiday season sees an increase in all three of these areas, resulting in an elevated risk for distracted driving crashes. From parking lot fender benders to high-speed highway collisions, no one wants any accident during the holidays. Below are some examples of each type of distraction:

• Visual—This is anything that draws a driver’s eyes to something other than the road. Checking a cell phone to find out what time a friend is meeting for a holiday lunch or trying to read the business hours on a store door you are driving past are two examples of visual distractions.
• Manual—With manual distractions it’s something that takes one or both of a person’s hands off the wheel while driving. This would be trying to program the GPS to find that exotic spice store to shop for Aunt Zelda’s gift or getting a fast-food lunch unwrapped and in your mouth while running multiple holiday errands.
• Cognitive—It’s easy for drivers to not have their minds on the road at this time of the year. Running through mental shopping and to-do lists, thinking about how to seat relatives at the holiday dinner table to prevent a fight, or wondering what in the world a teenage nephew would like for a gift are just a few mental distractions that might cause a driver to lose focus.

Defensive Driving Tactics

You can often recognize the signs of distracted driving even if you don’t know exactly what the cause is. Some clues include:

• Weaving or drifting over the line.
• Driving through a stop sign or red light.
• Sudden decreases in speed and rapid acceleration.

Keep an eye out for distracted drivers and give them a wide berth if you spot one. Be ready to blow your horn if someone gets too close.

If you are the victim of a distracted driving accident this holiday season, be sure to put a call to an experienced attorney right near the top of your list of what to do after getting your injuries evaluated and treated. Our lawyers have dealt with many distracted driving cases and will know how to build the best case for you and pursue the compensation you are rightly entitled to.

Have you or a loved one been a victim of a car accident because of a distracted driver? If so, Tiemann Law Firm can help. Our experienced personal injury attorneys will fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free, same-day consultation by calling (916) 999-9000 or toll-free: (800) 712-2000.