Many motor vehicle accidents in New Hampshire and elsewhere are blamed on driver distraction. Most drivers would admit to being momentarily distracted at the wheel at one time or another. However, such behavior can place everyone in the vicinity at risk for a collision.
Most driving distractions fall into three categories: visual, manual and cognitive. Many times, a driver may exhibit behaviors from more than one category at the same time. If a collision occurs because of driver negligence, anyone who suffered injuries can seek financial recovery for their losses by filing a personal injury claim in civil court.
Manual distractions are a top cause of collision
Texting while driving is one of the most common types of manual distractions that often occurs moments before a motor vehicle collision. Any driver who takes his or her hands off the wheel to smoke a cigarette, eat or drink something, change the radio station or adjust settings on a GPS device, etc., is manually distracted while driving.
Even wireless devices can cause driver distraction
Cognitive distractions occur when a driver’s thoughts wander away from the task at hand, which is driving. Some people think it is okay to attend a work meeting or talk on the phone while driving if they use a hands-free device. However, doing anything other than focusing on the road is a cognitive distraction that can cause a collision. Daydreaming, fatigue and driver intoxication can also cause cognitive impairment that increases the risk of collision.
Visual distractions include goose-necking
Goose-necking occurs when a driver slows down to try to look at a roadside scene, perhaps a police officer making a traffic stop or an accident that has taken place. Such a driver is visually distracted, meaning that he or she is not paying attention to the road ahead, thereby placing anyone nearby at risk. If a distracted driver has caused a collision on a New Hampshire roadway, a recovering victim should not have to bear the financial burden associated with the incident. He or she may seek restitution from the at-fault driver by filing a claim against him or her in court.
