San Jose Distracted Driver Accident Lawyer

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has dedicated research to understanding distracted driving in order to help spread awareness and learn how to better stop it. Through its studies, the CDC has determined that there are three distinct forms of driver distraction. A driver experiencing just one of these distraction forms will have an increased chance of getting into an accident. The CDC categorizes driver distraction into three forms:

The National Safety Council has also estimated that cognitive distractions last up to 30 seconds longer than the actual occurrence that triggers them. For example, seeing a billboard makes a driver think of the billboard, not driving. The NSC research suggests the driver will continue thinking about that billboard for upwards of 30 seconds.

Smartphone use behind the wheel is particularly dangerous as it engages the driver in all three forms of distractions aforementioned. Despite the clear danger, the use of cellular phones while driving has continues to rise throughout United States. A recent study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that approximately 85% of cellphone users talk on the phone while driving.

There is a lot of controversy about whether or not hands-free cell phones will reduce the amount of cell phone accidents because many people feel that the conversation on the phone is the distraction, not necessarily the holding of the phone. National Safety Council (NSC) research has indicated that hands-free devices, like built-in speaker systems or Bluetooth attachments, do not reduce a driver’s chances of causing a crash.