3 Types of Distractions While Driving and the Damage They Can Cause

The mass popularity of cell phones has made distracted driving a serious problem that lawmakers have tried to manage with various laws and restrictions. However, there are many more possible distractions that many people may not even consider. These may occur while you’re driving normally and safely, with your cell phone tucked away. In fact, they’re probably even more common than cell phone issues.

Let’s look at 3 types of distractions while driving and the types of damage that they can cause you. It is important to pay careful attention to these potential problems and to do what you can to avoid them. Each distraction section will give some suggestions for how you can avoid or minimize these distractions to ensure that you don’t cause serious financial problems in your life.

Distraction: Other Vehicles

Have you ever been driving and seen an amazing vehicle, like a Porsche, and just had to admire it while still driving? It’s something that’s happened to the best of us, and it’s one of the most common 3 types of distractions while driving. Unfortunately, many people get distracted by other vehicles in this and many other ways and get into real problems on the road.

For example, you might not even be admiring a car but get enraged when another vehicle cuts you off or drives erratically. Rather than calming down and moving on, you might become focused on that vehicle and end up too distracted to notice what else is happening around you.

Other distractions can include a car that looks similar to yours, a vehicle that you think belongs to a friend, an auto wrapping advertising something, or even a car with funny bumper stickers. These distractions can get you into real trouble and should be avoided as much as possible.

Vehicle distractions are so common because you’re surrounded by so many cars on the road every day. If you drive on a freeway to and from work, you may see hundreds or even thousands of cars daily. A little distraction is understandable in this case but is seriously problematic because it can impact your safety and well-being so heavily.

The solution to this problem is to keep your eyes on the road and pay attention to what other people are doing without getting too drawn into it. When someone does something that angers you, just let it go and keep focused on yourself. Of all the 3 types of distractions while driving, this should be the easiest to avoid, so be careful out there.

Distraction: Your Dashboard

A car’s dashboard is a fantastic way of keeping track of your mileage, gas usage, temperature, audio controls, physical surroundings around the car, and even phone calls and texts. However, all of these alerts can become overwhelming and make your dashboard one of the most surprising 3 types of distractions while driving.

Just how can your dashboard become potentially dangerous? Let’s say you’re driving during the summer and suddenly feel hot. You turn on your air and notice it isn’t running properly. Rather than pay attention to the road, you’re now debating hiring an AC service for your car and feeling mad about it.

Or let’s say you’re riding and listening to satellite radio, and you suddenly get tired of what the station is playing. You might take your eyes off the road to change the station, turn off the radio, switch to FM, or even sync your phone’s Bluetooth. Every second you’re doing that, you’re distracted.

The solution here is to master your steering wheel’s controls, if they have them, to ensure that you keep your eyes on the road while you drive. If you don’t have steering wheel controls or still feel distracted using them, you need just to set up your radio station and temperature controls before you leave and avoid changing them on the road.

If you do feel the need to change your temperature or even switch out a CD or Bluetooth playlist, park on the side of the road for a minute to handle it. Yes, this will add something like a minute to your drive. But it will minimize your distractions and keep you and others safe.

Distraction: Strange Sounds

Have you ever been driving and heard a weird rattling or grinding noise coming from your car? We’ve all been there, and it has to be one of the most annoying things in the world. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the worst of the 3 types of distractions while driving because it can be so maddening.

For example, let’s say you just started heading to work when you notice a weird whining noise coming from your car. It immediately catches your attention and distracts you as you try to figure out what is causing it and how much it might cause to repair this problem, such as calling a car brake repair team.

It’s an understandable distraction because your vehicle is probably one of the biggest investments you’ll make in your life. Unfortunately, it can cause people to pay little attention to the road, such as calling a mechanic while driving and missing out on dangerous driving situations.

This problem can be particularly upsetting if the strange noises intensify and worsen as you drive, causing further distraction and making your driving even more erratic. It’s an issue that really only has one solution: scheduling a mechanic visit to see what is wrong with your car.

But don’t do that while you’re driving. Instead, wait till you get to where you’re going and call your preferred mechanic. They can let you know what is likely the problem and what to do about it. If the noises worsen to the point where they’re deafening, you should park your car and call someone right away. Never call while you’re on the road if you can avoid it, even with hands-free phone systems.

Damage: Accidents

The most obvious problem caused by these 3 types of distractions while driving is serious accidents. When you’re not paying proper attention to the road, you’re more likely to rear-end somebody or crash in any other way. This problem can not only damage your car but cause real legal troubles.

Accidents are also very traumatic, even when minor. For example, it’s easy to feel like you’re “stupid” or to blame yourself heavily after an accident. Even a minor fender bender can leave you feeling bad and cause long-lasting emotional troubles that go far behind the damage to your vehicle.

More severe crashes can even trigger post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD in you and others. This emotional problem can cause flashbacks to the accidents that can lead to depression and much more. Unfortunately, these emotions can be hard to overcome and may trigger other problematic behaviors.

As a result, you may have long-term trouble driving again after an accident. Many people find themselves feeling scared behind the wheel or excessively cautious. Some may quit driving entirely, though that reaction is thankfully rare and something you can manage through treatment and counseling.

If you experience this problem, it is essential to contact car accident lawyers to get help right away. While you may only have limited defenses, you might be able to negate some of the loss using comparative negligence rules, which may negate how much you pay.

Damage: Insurance Trouble

Do you know what happens when you get into a serious car crash? Well, beyond potential lawsuits, you’re likely to experience problems with your insurance. Insurance companies don’t like it when their clients get into accidents, and they have to pay money to cover their mistakes.

Yes, that’s what car insurances are for, obviously, and paying out to cover a crash is why you have a policy. But your company is likely to increase how much you pay in response to your accident. For example, they may raise your premium by 100% or more, depending on the severity of your crash.

Companies raise auto insurances after accidents because they now consider you a risky investment. They won’t drop your policy, thankfully, but they will make it cost more money. There’s little you can do about this problem because other insurance companies will be well aware of this problem.

Thankfully, safe driving can help lower your costs eventually and minimize how much extra cash you pay. Unfortunately, it will take several years for your rates to lower, which can be very frustrating. While completing safe driving courses can help, it may still take more time than you’d like for your rates to recover.

As a result, it is important to avoid these 3 types of distractions while driving. Doing so can ensure that your insurance rates don’t increase. Thankfully, it shouldn’t be too hard to change your behaviors slightly to ensure that you get the best results possible for your needs.

Damage: Lack of Transportation

If you fall victim to any of the 3 types of distractions while driving and get into an accident, your car is going to be out of commission for a while. Even if the damage is minor and can be repaired, your car will need to go to the shop and will be parked for days and even weeks at a time.

As a result, you might lack transportation for a while and have to get around it. There are ways to manage without cars, of course. Taxi services can help, as can buses. You can also call someone to give you a ride, but if such services or options aren’t available for you, you’re going to struggle.

Even renting a car or getting services like car key cutting for a borrowed vehicle can be pricey. While many repair teams provide loaner cars while they fix yours, that’s not always an option. As a result, you might even have to take time off of work, cutting into your vacation or sick days.

This problem worsens if you have a family or children and own the only vehicle. Your kids won’t be able to get to sports games or go shopping. They may even require special transportation for school, such as riding the bus or with friends. Simply put, not having a car in today’s society puts a strain on the whole family.

Thankfully, cutting back on the 3 types of distractions while driving should keep your car easily available. By teaching yourself to pay better attention to the road, you can streamline your driving process and ensure that you stay safe on the road at all times.

Damage: Auto Repair

Have you ever had to pay an auto repair bill from car repair garages? If so, you know how much it can cost. Thousands of dollars in repairs after an accident is not uncommon and can be very frustrating for people who may already be on a limited budget. Even people with a good budget may find themselves struggling to pay for auto damage repair after accidents.

Furthermore, you may also have to pay for things like advanced auto paint protection and other unique services to ensure that your car is safe. Other steps you may have to take include fixing blown tires, repairing body damage, adding more fluid to your car, and handling glass repair.

The frustrating thing about auto repair is that it automatically decreases your car’s value because you simply can’t restore your car to a like-new status with repairs. That’s just another big reason why it’s so important to avoid these 3 types of distractions while driving on the road.

These 3 types of distractions while driving can be avoided if you take the time to avoid them carefully and follow the advice suggested here. If you do experience any serious problems caused by distraction-related crashes, it is important to reach out to legal experts and repair professionals to learn more. They can help repair your car and prepare a legal defense to ensure that you don’t lose out financially.