What Are the Top Three Distractions for Drivers?

Driver distraction, one of the most common kinds of driver impairment, comes in three basic forms: visual, manual, and cognitive. Visual distraction is any activity that takes a driver’s eyes off the road. Manual distraction is at least one hand off the wheel. Cognitive distraction is thinking about something other than driving. These three categories often overlap, particularly in the most common distracted driver behaviors. More on that below.

Distracted driving and other kinds of driver errors, like speeding or driving while intoxicated, cause over 90 percent of the car accidents in California. If another driver legally caused a wreck, even if the victim was partially or mostly at fault, a Carlsbad personal injury lawyer can go to court and obtain compensation for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.

Cell Phone Use (Texting, Calling, and Apps)

Hand-held devices combine all three kinds of distraction. To address this issue, California has one of the strictest cell phone laws in the country.

In June 2025, lawmakers passed a no-touch law. Drivers cannot touch their cell phones while behind the wheel, except in limited situations. The no-touch law is considerably broader than the hands-free law it replaced.

For a Carlsbad personal injury lawyer, the expanded law opens the door for a negligence per se case. Tortfeasors (negligent drivers) who violate safety laws, like the no-touch law, are liable for the aforementioned damages as a matter of law, if that legal violation substantially caused injury.

Legally, a substantial cause is much different from a contributing cause. Bad weather might contribute to a car crash. But driver error, such as touching a cell phone while driving, substantially causes car wrecks, at least in most cases.

Hands-free speakerphones are not a safe alternative to hand-held phones. Hands-free devices are cognitively distracting, and to a lesser extent visually distracting as well. In fact, Studies have shown that reaction times while texting can be comparable to or worse than driving under the influence of alcohol.

An idle cell phone is also unsafe. Social media notifications, navigation apps, and music selection further increase the temptation to interact with phones.

Interacting with Passengers or In-Car Systems

Talking to passengers, especially in emotional or animated conversations, significantly distracts drivers. Since many teen drivers are particularly vulnerable to this type of distraction, as peer passengers may encourage risky behavior or demand attention, drivers’ licenses often limit the number of passengers kids can have.

Solitary drivers face similar issues. Adjusting climate controls, changing music, or entering directions into a navigation system often requires drivers to look away for several seconds. At highway speeds, even a few seconds of distraction can mean traveling the length of a football field without watching the road, increasing the risk of collisions.

Additionally, today’s vehicles are basically mobile entertainment and information centers. Touchscreens, GPS systems, and entertainment controls pull attention away from the road.

Eating and Drinking While Driving

One of the oldest kinds of distracted driving is one of the most dangerous kinds of distracted driving. Eating or drinking behind the wheel may seem harmless, but it poses a real safety risk.

Spilled drinks, dropped food, or messy wrappers divert a driver’s attention and hands. Hot beverages cause sudden reactions if spilled, while unwrapped foods may require drivers to look down repeatedly.

Like other distractions, eating combines manual and visual distractions and can become especially dangerous in heavy traffic or bad weather. Maximum compensation is usually available in these situations, as long as the driver error substantially caused damages.

Connect With a Thorough San Diego County Lawyer

Injury victims are entitled to substantial compensation. For a confidential consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Carlsbad, contact the Pursley Law Firm. We routinely handle matters throughout the Golden State.

Source:

cdc.gov/distracted-driving/about/index.html