Although texting and driving has declined somewhat over the past few years, down about 2.2% from a high of 18.4% in 2020, it remains a major risk to drivers everywhere. When people text and drive, they place themselves and the people around them at an increased risk of getting into an accident. Here are five ways that texting and driving lead to auto accidents:

  1. Texting and driving takes your eyes off the road
    • One of the biggest reasons that texting and driving is so dangerous is that you cannot look at your cell phone and the road at the same time. If you are busy reading text messages or social media, you are not seeing what is going on in front of you. Even if you only look away for a second or two, that can be more than enough time to result in a major error that causes a motor vehicle accident.
  2. Texting and driving slows your reaction time
    • When you text and drive, it becomes much harder to react to situations happening in front of you. Even if you are only looking at your screen for a fraction of a second, that tiny disruption can delay your reaction enough to make an avoidable accident into an unavoidable one. Unfortunately, people underestimate the extent to which texting can distract you, leading to more accidents.
  3. Texting and driving takes your hands off the wheel
    • There is a reason that driving courses advise people to keep both hands on the steering wheel at all times, even if most people do not do so. That is because having both hands on the wheel can help you steer if you need to suddenly react to something happening on the road. If one of your hands is occupied with a cell phone, however, you may find it much harder to swerve or steer clear of a road hazard, leading to an accident.
  4. Texting and driving takes your attention away
    • One of the underestimated factors about texting and driving is that it keeps your attention away from the road. Even if you are looking directly at the road and your hands are free, the fact that you are not putting your entire focus on driving can mean you miss something right in front of you. If your attention is divided when you are driving, you are more likely to get into an accident, no matter what else you are doing at the time.
  5. People overestimate their own abilities
    • A surprisingly common issue is that people who text and drive think they are good enough at driving to get away with it. They overestimate their own ability to multitask efficiently, and as a result are surprised when they miss something important. Unfortunately, many people only learn the limits of their abilities the hard way, when they get into an accident and injure themselves or others.

If you have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, you should contact the Tennessee personal injury lawyers at the Keith Williams Law Group. With convenient offices located in Nashville and Lebanon, our lawyers will work with you to create a litigation strategy that protects your legal rights and serves your personal needs. For more information or a free consultation, please contact us at 615-444-2900 or visit our contact page.