Most drivers know they shouldn’t use their phones while driving. Yet, many are under the false impression that they can safely do so via a hands-free device. It’s not surprising, since manufacturers now include hands-free setups in their vehicles.
Unfortunately, hands-free options are not the solution to the problem that people believe because they still lead to distraction. Let’s use the example of a driver checking an email on their phone while driving to work. They know they aren’t meant to hold their phone while driving, so they use Siri to read the email out loud.
They may not realize they are practicing distracted driving. Imagine the email contents brought bad news or contained a message that needed answering urgently. They’ll still be thinking about that as they drive along for at least a few minutes. Thinking about the email means they are not thinking about the road as fully as they should.
Distraction is not just manual or visual
This is the big mistake many people make. They fail to understand that distraction can be cognitive as well, and this can far outlast any manual or visual distraction you undertook.
You can’t just stop thinking about something and fully concentrate on the traffic around you until you do. Too many drivers fail to realize that doing things with their phone even if both hands are on the wheel and their eyes are on the road is still not safe. If a distracted driver crashed into you, you’ll need to find out more about your legal options to seek compensation and justice.