Head-on Collision Likely Caused by Distracted Driving Injures 3

According to a KSAT News report, 3 people were seriously injured last week in a head-on collision likely caused by distracted driving.

Police reported the accident happened at around 1 p.m. on Marbach Road near Cable Ranch Road on February 16th. A Chevy Tahoe and a Kia Soul were traveling in opposite directions when one vehicle crossed the median and hit the other head-on. Two people in the Tahoe and one in the Kia were transported to the hospital with broken bones and other non-life-threatening injuries. Police say the accident was likely the result of distracted driving, though they did not say which vehicle was at fault.

Did You Know?

An estimated 27% of distracted driving involves cell phone use.

What Counts as Distracted Driving in San Antonio?

88% of people surveyed agree that distracted driving is extremely dangerous. But there is a disconnect between what people believe and what they do — distracted driving is a leading cause of death in the United States despite this widely held belief.

The first thing you think of when someone mentions distracted driving is cell phone use, and that does contribute to almost one-third of distracting driving cases. But using your phone is not the only way you can drive distracted.

Distracted Driving Defined

So, what counts as distracted driving?

Distracted driving is any activity that takes your attention away from driving. The list of things that could count as distracted driving is endless — however, distractions are usually broken into 4 main categories.

#1: Visual Distractions

Visual distractions are anything that takes your eyes off the road. This can include:

• Looking at your phone,
• Looking at a fixed object,
• Looking at passengers or other drivers.

You can avoid visual distractions by putting any devices out of sight before beginning your trip.

#2: Manual Distractions

Manual distractions cause you to take your hands off the wheel. These include actions like:

• Cell phone use,
• Adjusting the radio,
• Eating,
• Reaching into the back seat,
• or drinking.

Manual distractions can be avoided by assigning tasks to passengers, creating playlists ahead of time, and keeping cell phones out of reach while driving. Cell phone use is the most likely distraction that leads to an auto accident.

#3: Cognitive Distractions

Cognitive distractions are anything that takes your mind off of driving. This includes things like:

• Drowsy driving,
• Impaired driving,
• Using speech-to-text software,
• Mentally planning,
• Daydreaming.

Keep your mind on driving by ensuring you get plenty of sleep, are not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or use text-to-speech software.

#4: Auditory Distractions

Auditory distractions have you listening to things that distract you from driving. This includes:

• Conversations with passengers,
• Podcasts/music,
• TV shows or movies

Listening to music is very minimally distracting for most people, but you know yourself better than anyone else. If music is too distracting for you, don’t listen while you drive. It’s also not a good idea to have emotional or stressful conversations while driving.

Injured by a Distracted Driver? Call Carabin Shaw.

Distracted drivers injure almost 400,000 people and kill 3,500 people every year. 9 out of 100 fatalities every day are caused by distracted drivers. That should not be.

Carabin Shaw has represented those injured by distracted drivers in San Antonio for more than 30 years, and we put our clients first. Call the firm that cares for a free case evaluation at 800-862-1260 or use the live chat to get started. We look forward to serving you.

Contacting a Carabin Shaw attorney is free and does not obligate you to work with the firm.

¹KSAT Report

²Distracted Driving Statistics