Most drivers are at least relatively aware that they shouldn’t text in the car. Some of them still do it, of course, and distracted driving accidents happen every day. But drivers know that texting is dangerous and that they should try to avoid it.
To do so, some drivers will just make phone calls while they’re in the car. They think that this means they aren’t engaging in distracted driving. After all, they can still look at the road while they are talking on the phone because they don’t have to look down and type a text message.
Why phone calls are still dangerous
For drivers in this position, it’s important to remember that talking on the phone is also a distraction. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes that both talking and texting could lead to car accidents.
After all, many of the distractions of texting are still present during a phone conversation. The driver still has to hold their phone in one hand, for instance, which is a manual distraction. They also have to think about what the other person is saying and the conversation they’re holding, which is a cognitive distraction. That driver may be looking at the road, but that doesn’t mean that they are driving safely – or that they are focusing on the road as intently as they should be.
Have you been injured?
If you get hit by a distracted driver, you could suffer severe injuries with life-changing ramifications. You may need to seek financial compensation for medical bills, lost wages, future healthcare costs and much more. Take the time to carefully look into all of the legal options at your disposal.