Is Starbucks causing car accidents?

Millions of gallons of coffee are consumed in the United States every year. The majority of Americans drink it every single day, and even those who don’t have it every day may drink it multiple times per week.

In other words, Americans are a bit obsessed with coffee. You’ve probably been driving to work during your morning commute when you’ve seen lines going around the block at the local Starbucks.

It’s clear that a lot of these drivers are swinging through to get a cup of coffee as they begin their commute and head into the office. Maybe you’re even one of them.

But as common as this is, have you ever stopped to consider the dangers? Could this type of behavior lead to serious car accidents?

Distractions go beyond the phone

The issue here is with driving distraction. This is something that people often attribute to cellphone use in the car. That is a major source of distraction. But it’s not the only one.

You need to remember that distractions include anything that takes your attention away from the road. This can include things like:

• Setting up your GPS
• Choosing a radio station
• Putting on make-up or doing grooming
• Eating food or drinking coffee
• Talking to passengers
• Reading billboards and street signs
• Interacting with children or pets
• Adjusting the seat or steering wheel
• Adjusting the mirrors
• Listening to music

It’s not that drinking coffee is necessarily more dangerous than any of these other activities. But the difference is that coffee is so very common.

Someone who understands how dangerous it is to text and drive or who would never try to put their make-up on in the car may still think that it is perfectly safe to grab that morning cup of coffee. But this could cause severe car accidents that lead to numerous injuries during rush hour.

If you have been injured in such an accident, or if you’ve even lost a loved one, you need to know about all of your legal rights. You may be able to seek financial compensation for your medical bills and other costs.