While traveling on a New Jersey highway, you may experience visual, manual, or cognitive distractions that significantly increase your risk of causing an accident. In some cases, a distraction may impact you in multiple ways. For example, using a cellphone might cause you to take your eyes off the road and your hands off the steering wheel.
What is a cognitive distraction?
A cognitive distraction is one that causes you to lose track of what is going on around your vehicle. For instance, if you’re using your phone while driving, you may focus more on the conversation that you’re having as opposed to scanning the road for potential hazards. It’s important to note that your brain can only focus on one thing at a time, which means that attempting to multitask can increase your chances of being in a motor vehicle accident.
What are visual and manual distractions?
A visual distraction occurs when you’re forced to take your eyes off the road. This might occur when you look at your smartphone, change a radio station or look behind you to see what your kids are crying about.
A manual distraction occurs when you take your hands off of the steering wheel. Examples of manual distractions include reaching for a travel mug or using your phone when you don’t have a hands-free device.
Accidents caused by distracted drivers have the potential to cause serious injuries. This is because distracted motorists may not slow down prior to impact. In addition to bodily injury, there is a chance that a crash will result in lost or damaged property. You may be entitled to compensation to pay medical bills or to replace items that were damaged in a crash.
