The 3 types of distracted driving that lead to accidents

By now, essentially everyone realizes that distracted driving is a recipe for disaster. Still, it remains a major problem on roadways in Issaquah and across the Evergreen State. In fact, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, 30% of traffic fatalities involve distracted driving.

You may believe that avoiding distracted driving is as simple as stowing your smartphone while on the road. While doing so is a good idea, you must consider other types of distracted driving. Here are three of them:

1. Manual distractions

When you learned to drive, you probably read or heard about keeping your hands on the steering wheel. Nevertheless, you must occasionally remove your hands from the wheel to signal, adjust the radio or shift gears. These movements should be quick and efficient, though. If you do not maintain an effective grip on the steering wheel, you may lose control of your vehicle.

2. Visual distractions

Whether it is other cars, gorgeous scenery, signs or a collision, you have many things to see when you drive. Because you must watch the area around your vehicle and the road in front of you carefully, you should not divert your eyes for extended periods of time. If you do, you may not be able to avoid hitting a pedestrian, another vehicle or a stationary object with your car.

3. Mental distractions

Finally, even if you keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel, you can engage in distracted driving by letting your mind wander. When sitting in traffic, everyone has thought about meetings at work, evening plans or other matters. Still, if you do not pay attention to your vehicle and its surroundings, you may find yourself in the middle of a serious car accident.

Distracted driving may involve one or more of the above distractions. By understanding the ways that you may become distracted behind the wheel, though, you can likely boost your odds of arriving at your destination without incident.