Distracted driving is clearly very dangerous. Traffic conditions can change in an instant, and those who do not proactively monitor their surroundings might cause crashes because they cannot respond in time to changing traffic conditions.
There are many types of collisions that can occur depending on when and where issues arise in traffic. Certain types of collisions have a stronger connection with distracted driving than others. The following types of collisions, for example, frequently associated with distracted driving behavior.
Pedestrian crashes
People who split their attention between their surroundings and their phones may suddenly snap to attention when their brains recognize a threat. Specifically, the looming presence of another vehicle nearby can force people to refocus their attention even when they are quite distracted. Pedestrians don’t trigger the same response in the human brain. Distracted drivers can injure pedestrians in crosswalks or in parking lots.
Rear-end collisions
Distracted drivers do not actively monitor their surroundings. They can unintentionally cause crashes because they don’t notice the vehicles around them slowing down or stopping. The driver staring down at their phone may not know that the motorist in front of them stopped suddenly because a child or animal entered the street. They may also fail to recognize that there is a line of stopped vehicles near an intersection. A significant portion of rear-end crashes occur due to drivers paying more attention to devices than to road conditions.
Sideswipe collisions
Drivers on multi-lane roads may keep one eye on approaching traffic traveling in the other direction. They may not be as cautious about vehicles traveling in the same direction as they are. Unfortunately, drivers looking down at their phones and paying attention to the vehicles approaching to their left may not notice if they start to slowly cross over into the lane to their right. They could potentially sideswipe a vehicle traveling in the same direction next to them.
Anytime a distracted driver causes a preventable collision, they may be liable for any harm they inflicted on other people. Filing an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit can help people hurt by distracted drivers cover their costs and demand accountability from irresponsible motorists.