Distracted driving happens in many different ways. Eating behind the wheel is a distraction, for instance, as is simply changing the radio station. Drivers who look away from the road for any reason are distracted, and they can cause accidents.
That said, the top cause of distracted driving is almost certainly texting and driving. This has evolved a bit with the invention of the smartphone, as similar activities now include sending messages on social media or using related apps. But it’s all a very similar type of distraction, and it can all be lethal.
The thing that people need to ask themselves is simple: Is it worth it? How valuable is that text message? If sending it puts you and others in the hospital, is that worth getting the message off right away?
It never is. Think about the texts people send while driving. So many of them have almost no value at all. Maybe it’s just as simple as telling someone you’re on the way. It’s far better to do that before you leave or just wait until you arrive. It wasn’t that long ago that you couldn’t text someone anytime you wanted to, and people still found ways to coordinate their plans.
The problem is that people often have this compulsion to answer any text message right away, no matter what they’re doing. It becomes almost an addiction. They can’t break it when they drive. It doesn’t matter that they’d never think the text itself was worth it after an accident.
If you get injured by one of these distracted drivers, you need to know how to seek compensation for medical expenses and the like.