Distracted driving is responsible for more than 3,000 deaths across the United States every year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, accounting for around 8% of all motor vehicle fatalities. To protect yourself from this danger, it is best to avoid as many distractions as possible while driving. Here are seven distracted driving issues that can result in auto accidents:

  1. Texting or checking social media
    • One of the most common types of distracted driving comes from people choosing to text or check social media on their phones. When people take their eyes off the road and their hands off the wheel to check their phones, they make the risk of an accident much more likely.
  2. Making a phone call
    • Even if drivers merely choose to use their phones to make a call, that can still result in a distracted driving accident. Even using a headset instead of holding a phone in hand does not remove all the danger, since a phone call can be distracting all by itself.
  3. Eating and drinking
    • People may also get into a distracted driving accident by choosing to eat or drink while driving. While people may do this so they can save time without needing to stop for a meal, this places them and the people around them at risk of harm.
  4. Personal grooming
    • It can often seem like there is not enough time in the day to do everything you need to do, but that does not mean you should engage in personal grooming in the car. Brushing your hair or teeth, putting on makeup, shaving, and other activities should be reserved for home, not the car.
  5. Programming the GPS
    • It is fairly common for people to try to program the GPS in their car while they are driving, despite the fact that many GPS systems now have mechanisms intended to prevent people from doing this. As a result, they can easily get distracted while programming in an address, increasing the risk of an accident.
  6. Changing the radio station
    • People underestimate how much they can be distracted, even just changing the radio in their car. In the few seconds it takes to find a new station, it is possible they may get into an accident they might have avoided if they were paying closer attention to the road.
  7. Dealing with distracting passengers
    • If you have loud and obnoxious passengers in your car, that can also be the cause of a distracted driving accident. This may include small children, drunk friends, or anyone else whose antics distract you from driving.

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.