At most times during the day, texting is a quick and easy way to communicate with someone without requiring you to divert your attention from the task at hand for very long. For example, you can be fully engaged in a meeting at work and send a quick answer to another colleague without losing focus on the meeting. The one time this is absolutely not the case, however, is when you are driving. You might think texting takes your attention off the road for less time than making a phone call, but you would be wrong.

Why “One Quick Text” Is So Dangerous

Why is texting while driving so dangerous? According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, even a quick text is dangerous for the following reasons:

  1. Texting involves manual, visual, and cognitive distraction, all at the same time.
  2. Sending or reading a text takes the eyes off the road for at least five seconds.
  3. If a driver is travelling at 55 miles per hour, texting for five seconds is the equivalent of driving the length of an entire football field while blindfolded.

With the invention of hands free devices and talk-to-text features and apps on handheld phones, many drivers mistakenly believe that there is a safe way to text or talk while driving. However, hands-free phone conversations and talk-to-text action is still a cognitive distraction, even if it is not necessarily a visual distraction on its own. Cognitive distractions can cause a driver to miss important visual and audio cues that help drivers avoid accidents.

 Even when texting while driving is banned in a certain area, there is still a significant risk of texting while driving accidents occurring. If you are the victim of such an accident, we are here to help. We encourage you to contact us today at 1-800-350-8888 to schedule a free consultation.

Peter Steinberg
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Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney Since 1982
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