Distracted driving is an extremely dangerous driver mistake that claims thousands of lives annually. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 3,522 deaths connected to distracted driving in 2021. All drivers in Pennsylvania have a legal responsibility to drive with care, caution, and prudence while dedicating the required amount of attention to the driving task.
Cell Phone Use
The four primary types of driver distraction are visual, manual, auditory and cognitive. Cell phones present a particularly dangerous kind of distraction because they constitute all four types. A driver may take his or her eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, ears off his or her surroundings and mind off the driving task while using a mobile device.
Any type of cell phone use while driving can prove disastrous, including:
- Texting while driving
- Looking at a GPS or maps app
- Reading or writing emails
- Scrolling through social media sites
- Taking pictures or selfies
- Recording videos
- Watching videos
- Talking on the phone
- Using other apps
Pennsylvania has a ban on texting while driving that applies to all drivers, regardless of age. There is a $50 fine, plus court costs and other fees, per offense if a driver violates this law. If a driver causes a car accident with bodily injuries or deaths while breaking the state’s cell phone ban, he or she could face criminal charges.
Eating, Drinking and Smoking
Any activity that takes one or both of a driver’s hands off the steering wheel for any amount of time constitutes distracted driving. Keeping both hands on the wheel is important for a driver to be able to react quickly and correctly to changing roadway situations.
Activities such as eating, drinking and smoking create a safety problem as a manual distraction. Looking down at a meal, beverage, cigarette or vaping device can also serve as a visual distraction.
Passengers and Pets
Having other people in the car can prove distracting. This is especially true of inexperienced drivers, such as teenagers, who drive with their friends in the car. Chatting or arguing with passengers can distract a driver from the task of driving.
If there are children in the car, childcare activities or trying to calm a child down can also be distracting. Finally, driving with pets in a vehicle can prove dangerous if the driver needs to take his or her hands off the wheel to corral the animal.
Cognitive Distractions
A driver needs to dedicate his or her full attention to the driving task. If a driver is thinking of something other than controlling his or her motor vehicle and navigating the roads, he or she may miss a hazard, such as a pedestrian entering a crosswalk or a car coming to a sudden stop, and cause a collision.
Daydreaming, thinking about a conversation or argument that recently occurred, driving while angry or upset, thinking about work or school, or driving while drowsy are all examples of dangerous cognitive distractions. A distracted mind needs additional time to register and react to changing situations. Our experienced car accident lawyers in Pittsburgh know that a car accident can happen in a matter of seconds.
If you get involved in a distracted driving accident in Pittsburgh, contact a Pittsburgh personal injury lawyer at Dallas W. Hartman P.C., Attorneys at Law to request a free case consultation about your legal rights.