You might not realize it, but when it comes to car accidents, distracted driving is one of the primary causes. For example, out of the 2.5 million people that are involved in car accidents every year in the U.S., roughly 64% of those accidents involved a cell phone. Because there are so many more things that can distract a driver from their primary task of driving, April has been designated as Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

Types of Distracted Driving in California

There are three main types of distractions that can divert your attention while driving and lead to a potential accident:

• Manual distractions: A manual distraction refers to something that causes you to move your hands away from the steering wheel. For example, if you’re eating a burger or drinking a beverage while driving, then you’re being manually distracted.
  
• Visual distractions: A visual distraction refers to anything that causes you to take your eyes off the road. For instance, if you’re looking at directions for an address that you wrote down on a piece of paper.
  
• Cognitive distractions: A cognitive distraction is something that causes your mind to wander. If you’re thinking about something else other than your task at hand, you could miss a turn or you could react slowly to someone braking in front of you.

Facts About Driving Distracted

The following are a few facts you should know about driving while distracted:

1. Almost 25% of all car accidents in the U.S. are caused by texting while driving.
   
2. You’re six times more likely to get into a car accident texting while driving than drinking and driving.
   
3. If you’re texting while driving, your chances of getting into a car accident increase by 23 times.
   
4. Reading a text will distract you for an average of five seconds. It takes an average of three seconds of distraction to get into an accident.

Don’t Drive Distracted

Distracted driving will significantly increase your chances of getting into an accident, so be sure to focus on the task of driving. For more safety awareness information, visit us at The Benefits Store today.