Drivers should do all they can to avoid dangerous driving habits, such as drinking while driving. Distracted driving also plays a major role in crashes, and this category of dangerous driving behavior contains one particular action which too many drivers still engage in.
Texting and driving cause many crashes in a year, and despite numerous safety campaigns, it continues to take lives. But what makes texting and driving such a risk?
Three primary distractions
The National Highway Safety Traffic Administration discusses the risks associated with driving and texting at the same time. First, distraction serves as one of the biggest dangers a driver could face on the road. It takes crucial attention away from the task at hand, and when driving, even a second is all it takes for an accident to occur.
Texting in particular poses a hazard because it detracts from the three major senses that a driver uses: their concentration, their sight and their touch.
Of course, a driver should keep their hands on the wheel at all times, but they cannot do that when texting. They will also look at the screen when reading or replying to messages, which takes their eyes away from the road.
Do hands-free devices help?
Some people believe that hands-free devices fix these potential risks. But even then, one risk remains the risk of mental distraction. When focused on a conversation, a driver does not spare their full attention to the road. This can create the small gap needed for a crash to occur.
Thus, with these factors combined, the chance of crashing while texting grows to phenomenal heights. This risk is not ebbing any time soon, meaning drivers everywhere must have an awareness of it.