Eyes On the Road: April Is Distracted Driving Awareness Month!

Recently, the Arkansas State Police Highway Safety Office announced that they will be cracking down on distracted driving offenses in Little Rock. The “U Drive. U Text. U Pay” enforcement focused on those who are texting and driving or otherwise engaging in distractions behind the wheel from April 3^rd to the 10^th, but the entire month is dedicated to distracted driving awareness.

It’s so important to make drivers of all ages aware of this type of dangerous behavior because it can be fatal. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving caused 3,142 deaths in 2020 alone. Little Rock is no stranger to accidents, either. A recent report found that there were 638 fatal car accidents in Arkansas in 2020—a 24.9% increase from the year before.

Distracted driving is more than just texting

The first thing that comes to mind when people think of distracted driving is texting. However, that is just one example. Distracted driving is any activity that takes away your full attention from driving safely. If you take your eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or mind off of what you’re doing, you are actually driving while distracted. When you’re driving, you should always be completely focused on the road and not on anything else. Some other examples of distracted driving are:

• Talking to passengers
• Admiring scenery
• Eating or drinking
• Listening to loud music
• Using a navigation system

There are four different types of distractions

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just teenagers who just got their license who engage in distracted driving—people of all ages may be just as guilty without even realizing it. That’s why it’s so important to know exactly what distractions are in order to prevent more car accidents in Little Rock. In fact, there are actually four different types of distractions that can lead to accidents:

• Visual distractions – Whenever you take your eyes off the roads, you are engaging in distracted driving. It may seem like no big deal, but something like turning to face another passenger as you talk or looking ahead at GPS directions takes your attention away from the task at hand.
• Manual distractions – Drive-thrus are super fast and convenient, but it’s important to remember how dangerous it is to eat your meal as you drive back home or while on your way to the next destination. In order to eat, you need at least one hand off the wheel. You may even feel comfortable enough to take both hands off for a short period of time if you need to do something like open a bag. Whether you’re stopped at a red light or not, this distraction can be dangerous—and it’s best to just wait until you can safely pull over to enjoy your meal.
• Auditory distractions – Have you ever turned down the music as you’re driving through an area that you’re unfamiliar with? Turns out, having a cognitive load can impair other tasks that require cognitive thought, like driving. If the music in your car is loud enough, it may actually affect your ability to focus on driving safely.
• Cognitive distractions – Most people have had experiences where they’re driving and then couldn’t tell you about the last mile or so. If your mind is preoccupied with something else like how bad of a bad day you’re having, you could space out while on the road. This is dangerous because you’re not aware of what else is going on around you during that time, and it may cause you to have delayed reaction times.

Little Rock has specific distracted driving laws in place

Despite people of all ages engaging in distracted driving, Arkansas has put a law into place that specifically targets younger drivers. Since teens are newer drivers with less experience behind the wheel, it’s considerably more dangerous for them to get distracted on top of it. The NHTSA also reported that there were 2,276 people killed in an accident involving a driver between the ages of 15 and 18 in 2020. In an effort to cut down on those numbers, Arkansas passed a statute in 2018.

“Fewer Distractions Means Safer Driving Act” restricts cell phone usage while driving a car in different capacities depending on the driver’s age. Under 18, drivers cannot use a cell phone at all while driving. Between 18 and 21, drivers can use voice-activated devices to communicate. However, drivers can use their cell phones normally in the event of an emergency.

However, because many people still drive while distracted—and cell phones playing a big role—Little Rock passed another statute. “Paul’s Law” makes it illegal for anyone to use a handheld wireless phone while also driving a car. Exceptions in this are also emergencies and for those where it is detrimental to their job, like those in law enforcement, the medical field, and other emergency service personnel.

Little Rock distracted driving accidents can be prevented

So many accidents that happen are completely preventable, and that includes ones that involve distracted drivers. The majority of the time, whatever the driver is doing can wait until it’s safer. No call, text, or snack is worth the risk of causing a crash. To prevent getting into a distracted driving accident, make sure you:

• Put someone else in charge of the GPS, if possible
• Keep music at a moderate volume
• Limit the number of passengers in your car
• Eat and drink only while parked
• Avoid texting, calling, or video chatting
• Wait until your destination to put on makeup

If you or someone you know was injured in a distracted driving car accident, our Memphis attorneys want to help. Even if your injuries seem minor now, they could cause a lot of future complications and medical bills that you could be responsible for if you don’t fight in a case like this. Bailey & Greer, PLLC is here to collect evidence, build a case, and protect your right to compensation when you have suffered an injury in a tragic car accident. Call us or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation at our offices in Little Rock.