When it comes to distracted driving, perhaps the number one culprit is the cellphone. People often get distracted by their phones and cause serious accidents, leading to injuries and even fatalities.
But why is it that phones are so distracting? After all, this is a well-known safety issue, but people continue to make the same mistake behind the wheel – trying to use a handheld device while they drive. Let’s look at a few reasons why below.
Phones are designed to be addictive
First of all, smartphones are often very addictive, and this is done intentionally. If you’re using a social media service, for instance, you are watching ads. If the phone app is addictive, you watch more ads and the company makes more money. But this addiction can be very problematic if it means drivers do not put the phone down in the car.
Phones can be used for many different tasks
Phones are also addictive just because they’re so useful. It’s not just texting and driving. You can use your phone as a GPS. You can stream music on your car stereo system. You can take pictures or videos. There are countless opportunities for distraction.
People believe they can multitask
One issue is that people often just think they can multitask, meaning they believe they can safely use their phone and drive at the same time. But multitasking isn’t real. It is just a myth, and the brain actually switches rapidly between tasks. A multitasker is just distracted because their brain is trying to do too many things at one time.
Have you been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver? If so, be sure you know how to seek financial compensation.
