The different types of distracted driving

Distracted driving causes quite a few accidents in California. Many drivers don’t realize that there are all sorts of things that can distract them when they are on the road. Here are the different types of distracted driving that many drivers deal with on a regular basis.

Visual

This type of distraction are one of the top causes of car accidents. Visual distractions include things like looking at something on the side of the road or reading a billboard. These types of distractions are difficult to ignore as drivers encounter many of them each time they get behind the wheel of a car.

Cognitive

Some drivers let their mind wander when they are driving. Many of them don’t fully realize that they aren’t concentrating on the road like they need to. Cognitive distractions often occur when someone hasn’t gotten enough sleep and is driving while drowsy.

Auditory

A ringing cellular phone, loud music or passengers talking in a car can cause a driver to have an auditory distraction. These noises are often abrupt and cause the driver to briefly stop concentrating on the road and their surroundings.

Manual

Many of us deal with manual distractions on a regular basis while driving. They can include things like grabbing a cellular phone from your purse, eating lunch or reaching for a bottle of soda. These types of distractions are particularly dangerous as they cause you to take your eyes and at least one of your hands off of the road.

Distracted driving puts others in harm’s way. Before getting behind the wheel of a car, drivers do need to make sure they are well rested and that they do what they can do to limit the amount of distractions they have to deal with when they are driving their car.