Distracted Motorists Admit to Engaging in Array of Dangerous Behaviors

Many studies have indicated that an overwhelming majority of American motorists are very aware of the risks of texting while driving. However, while Americans seem to be attuned to the risks that are involved when they use electronic communication devices while driving, they are not as careful with other forms of distractions while driving.

In fact, a recent study finds that many Americans are engaging in very dangerous practices, including grooming, combing their hair, brushing or flossing their teeth, playing the guitar, taking selfies, and applying makeup while driving. About 3% percent of the respondents in a recent survey admitted to going to the bathroom while driving. Clearly, the concept of distractions is one that is unclear to many American motorists.

Distraction is any activity that can take your attention away from the task of driving. You don’t necessarily have to be texting while driving or talking on your cell phone for you to be distracted. Anytime you perform an activity that takes your eyes away from the road, your hands off the steering and your mind from the task of driving, you are at a higher risk of a distracted driving accident.

There are many types of distractions at the wheel, and this is one of the reasons why it’s hard to determine whether a motorist was inattentive at the wheel at the time of an accident. If you were involved in a distracted driving accident, for instance, it may be challenging for you to prove that the other motorist was inattentive, or had his concentration elsewhere at the time of the accident. If the other driver was texting while driving, you may be able to access records of the cell phone company to prove that he was texting.

However, in the case of other distracting behaviors, proving negligence may become challenging. You may have to rely on eyewitness accounts or the motorist’s own testimony that he was engaged in other distracting behaviors at the time of the accident.