Other Types of Distracted Driving

Although many people associate distracted driving with texting, there are many other actions that qualify as distracted driving and can be just as dangerous.

Distracted driving may be visual, manual, cognitive, or a combination of the three. Visual distractions take your eyes off of the road, manual distractions take your hands off of your steering wheel, and cognitive distractions take your mind away from driving. Texting and driving is so dangerous because it distracts you in all three ways.

Any cell phone use while driving can be a dangerous distraction, including making calls, taking photos, using a navigation app, and playing music. Texas state law explicitly prohibits texting while driving, and some local ordinances are more expansive to include other cell phone use. It is best to use hands-free technology to operate a phone while driving, if necessary.

Other actions that qualify as distracted driving include eating, drinking, operating the radio and other controls, looking for items, applying makeup, and speaking to passengers. People who do any of these things while driving can cause accidents, and could be held liable for damages if they cause injury to others.