At Ashby Thelen Lowry, our Atlanta personal injury attorneys know that Georgia’s Hands-Free Act, signed into law in 2018, prohibits drivers from holding or touching their phones while driving. The law’s goal is to keep drivers’ hands on the wheel.
Since implementing the Hands-Free Act, we have seen significantly decreased distracted driving crashes in Georgia. However, it’s important to note that the state’s distraction rate last year was 15.5%, placing Georgia as the sixth-most distracted drivers in the U.S.
This means there are still plenty of distractions that do not involve cellphones, but they are still equally dangerous and contribute to crashes, injuries, and fatalities throughout the state.
Besides Cellphones, What Types of Distractions Are Causing Crashes in Georgia?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration describes distracted driving as any activity that diverts a driver’s attention away from safely operating a vehicle. While cellphone use is one of the most common forms of distracted driving, several other types of distractions can impair a driver’s ability to focus on the road.
Some of these include:
- Consuming food or beverages while driving can take a driver’s hands off the wheel and their eyes off the road, increasing the risk of accidents.
- Activities such as applying makeup, shaving, brushing hair, or adjusting clothing while driving can distract a driver and compromise their ability to react to hazards on the road.
- Engaging in conversation with passengers, mainly if it involves turning to look at them or reaching to gesture, can divert a driver’s attention away from driving.
- Adjusting the radio, GPS navigation system, air conditioning, or other vehicle controls while driving can distract a driver and increase the likelihood of accidents.
- Allowing one’s mind to wander or becoming lost in thought while driving can lead to inattention and delayed reaction times, increasing the risk of collisions.
- Reading maps, books, or other materials or writing notes or messages while driving can distract a driver from the road and pose a significant safety risk.
- Watching videos or other multimedia content on in-vehicle screens or entertainment devices can distract drivers and impair their ability to respond to changing traffic conditions.
- Reaching for objects inside the vehicle, such as a purse, wallet, or personal belongings, can cause a driver to take their hands off the wheel and their eyes off the road, increasing the risk of accidents.
- External distractions, such as looking at billboards, scenic views, or other activities outside the vehicle, can divert a driver’s attention away from driving and increase the likelihood of crashes.
Our traffic crash and injury attorneys know that anything that takes your hands off the wheel, eyes off the road, or mind off the road can lead to a catastrophic crash. Even driving while fatigued or exhausted can impair a driver’s ability to stay alert and focused on the road, leading to slower reaction times and an increased risk of accidents.
Have You Been Hurt by a Distracted Driver in Atlanta, Georgia?
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a crash caused by a distracted driver, contact our skilled personal injury lawyers and support team at Ashby Thelen Lowry at (404) 777-7771 to schedule a free consultation. This will ensure your rights are protected so you can make informed decisions about the direction of your claim.