Anyone out on the road at any time is at risk of having an accident involving a distracted driver. Even if you do not use your cellphone while driving, that does not mean other behaviors behind the wheel will not put you at risk. If you engage in any of these practices while driving, you can easily become distracted:
- Eating or drinking
- Smoking cigarettes
- Changing the radio station
- Adjusting climate controls
- Rubbernecking
- Allowing loose pets in the vehicle
Driving with other people in the car may also cause distractions, but that means it is up to the driver to pay attention to the road. Daydreaming while driving is another major distraction, even if there is no way to prove this caused an accident. It is important to stay in the present and not become engrossed with thinking about other things.
Young Men Most Likely to Become Distracted
While young women make up a good percentage of those charged with distracted driving, it is their male counterparts who are most likely to have an accident due to distracted driving. Young men often indulge in risky behaviors behind the wheel, such as speeding. Lack of driving experience also contributes to young men having a higher risk of distracted driving crashes.
Personality Traits Contribute to Distracted Driving
Researchers at Norway’s Institute of Transport Economics, the first study to look at the connection between a person’s intentions and behavior, investigated who is more likely to demonstrate distracted driving. Along with their findings about young men, the researchers also discovered that individuals self-reported as neurotic or extroverted in personality were more likely to become distracted while driving. As a group, those least likely to drive distracted were older women.
Ways to Stop Distracted Driving
The researchers concluded that the best way to stop distracted driving is to make drivers aware of their own predilections, and to allow them to devise their own plans to stop distracted driving. Sometimes, simple awareness of the kinds of behavior that make up distracted driving was sufficient enough to help drivers change their actions while driving.
Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyers at Geoffrey B. Gompers & Associates Advocate for Victims of Distracted Driving Accidents
If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with a distracted driver, you need the services of the experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Geoffrey B. Gompers & Associates. We will guide you through your case to make sure you obtain the justice you deserve for your suffering. Call us today at 215-567-6600 to schedule a free consultation or contact us online. We are centrally located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Voorhees, New Jersey allowing us to proudly serve clients from the surrounding areas.