How Technology Impacts Your Driving and Crash Safety
ACWORTH, Georgia. Safe driving requires first and foremost, your attention. According to Vox, however, technological devices like our phones, have the effect of manipulating our attention. When your phone rings and you turn away from the road to check who is calling, your phone is a distraction. Anxiety about who might be texting or calling, even if you don’t check your phone is also distracting.
Distractions behind the wheel can create a host of problems. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that distracted driving claimed 3,450 lives and left 390,000 injured. Texting and driving and answering phone calls while driving takes attention away from the road. Some experts believe that the increase in accidents in recent years might be linked to distracted driving.
There are other consequences of distraction. In recent years we have seen more reports of parents forgetting their children in hot cars, leading to hot car deaths. When a parent’s attention is spread out (and when the focus is on the phone rather than the task at hand), the risk that important details will be forgotten is greater. Researchers also don’t know what effects screen time might have on the brains of developing children. Furthermore, we don’t know what impact parental distraction due to technology might have on child development. Children need the attention of their parents to thrive. Other researchers have found that social media use among adolescents can lead to higher levels of stress which has been found to have an impact on sleep.
Technology can also be addictive, if not used properly. In fact, studies have shown that the brain’s response to receiving a text message, phone call, or phone alert triggers similar reward systems that are affected by those who have addictions to say, gambling. While not everyone who uses technology gets addicted, the role addiction plays in driving safety and other tasks where there is a risk of personal injury needs to be closely considered.
What can you do to protect yourself from the risk of distracted driving? First, it helps to understand your phone use habits and patterns. If you find it difficult to resist the urge to peek at text messages while driving, consider putting your phone in the glove compartment or lock it in the trunk when driving. Secondly, if you have teens who drive, set strict policies for how they should approach using their phones, and strictly limit phone use while behind the wheel. Finally, if you have been injured in a crash and believe another person may have been distracted, you may have the right to seek damages and justice.
Amanda Hall Injury Law are car accident attorneys in Acworth, Georgia who help victims seek damages for their medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering after a crash. If you or a loved one has been hurt in an accident, reach out to our firm to learn more about how you might be able to hold distracted drivers accountable for your injuries.
Amanda Hall Injury Law
145 Towne Lake Pkwy, Ste 200
Woodstock Ga 30188
678-445-7423
