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Common Types of Distracted Driving

Home » Our Blog » Common Types of Distracted Driving

By Dan Noll on February 2nd, 2025 in Car Accident

Injured in a Car Crash in Illinois? Springfield Car Accident Lawyers Explain the Common Types of Distracted Driving Accidents

One of the most preventable causes of motor vehicle accidents throughout the United States is distracted driving. According to statistics, distracted driving results in over 3,300 fatalities every year in the United States. Roughly another 424,000 people are seriously injured in distracted driving traffic accidents. Indeed, the Illinois State Police report that distracted driving results in over 1 million crashes in the United States every year. In just Illinois, statistics reveal that there are almost 9,500 crashes on our roadways each year due to distracted driving. The experienced Springfield car accident lawyers at the Noll Law Office know that there are many common types of distracted driving accidents in Illinois that contribute to these statistics, nearly all of them are due to the negligent conduct of drivers.

At the Noll Law Office, their dedicated legal team helps victim and their families recover compensation for personal injuries caused by the negligent conduct of defendants. This includes motor vehicle accidents involving distracted driving, where victims and their families could be seriously injured due to this entirely preventable cause. To learn more about how the Noll Law Office and their experienced Springfield car accident lawyers can help you, schedule a free consultation today.

What Constitutes Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving occurs when a driver engages in any activity that diverts their attention away from the primary task of operating a vehicle safely. But the word “attention” is much broader than just a driver’s focus, but also includes a driver’s other abilities. For instance, districted driving includes any of the following distractions:

  • Visual distractions that take your eyes off the road
  • Manual distractions that take your hands off the wheel, and
  • Cognitive distractions that take your mind off driving.

These categories often overlap, making certain distracted driving behaviors particularly dangerous. For example, texting while driving combines all three types of distraction, which is why it is considered one of the most hazardous driving behaviors – even though it is also one of the most common distractions still, sadly.

Common Types of Distracted Driving in Illinois

There are many different types of distractions that could result in serious personal injuries in a motor vehicle accident. These distractions are dangerous and often devastating for victims and their families, despite being almost entirely preventable. Some of the most common types of distracted driving accidents in Illinois include the following:

Cell Phone Use and Texting

The most prevalent form of distracted driving involves mobile device usage. This includes texting, talking without hands-free technology, checking social media, and using navigation apps like Waze or Google Maps. Even hands-free phone conversations can create cognitive distraction that make it more likely for a driver to cause or be involved in an accident that may have been preventable if a driver was not on the phone.

GPS and Navigation Systems

Although navigation systems are valuable tools, programming or adjusting them while driving creates significant risk. Even some of the newer voice-activated GPS systems still result in significant distractions for drivers that result in at least a cognitive distraction, but could also result in visual distractions as well to confirm a route or address. Drivers should always enter the address before driving or pull over safely to adjust navigation settings.

Eating and Drinking

Many drivers do not realize that eating and drinking while driving constitutes distracted driving. These activities require at least one hand off the wheel and often involve looking away from the road to prevent spills or unwrap food items. Sadly, this remains one of the most common types of distractions that account for far too many preventable accidents in Illinois.

Makeup, Hair, Shaving, and Other Related Activities

Applying makeup, fixing hair, or other grooming activities while driving creates significant risk of all three types of distractions. Indeed, these activities typically require both visual and manual attention away from the driving task, as well as cognitive focus. Morning commuters are particularly prone to this dangerous behavior, often trying to save time by completing their morning routine behind the wheel.

Adjusting Vehicle Controls

Although necessary at times, adjusting the radio, climate controls, or navigation system can create dangerous distractions. Modern vehicle touchscreens often require more visual attention than traditional knob-based controls. Research indicates that drivers taking their eyes off the road for just two seconds double their risk of a crash. Even adjusting settings for smart cars and hybrid cars such as drive modes can also result in motor vehicle crashes and accidents in Illinois, which are unfortunately becoming more common.

Passenger Interactions and Pet Interactions

Conversations with passengers, attending to children or pets, and reaching for items in the back seat all constitute forms of distraction that can lead to car accidents. Parents with young children are particularly vulnerable, as a crying child can be a lot more distracting than an adult passenger. This is also a particularly true of teenage drivers and new drivers, who also have peer pressures and friend distractions that can cause problems too.

External Distractions

Looking at accidents, billboards, or other external events (known as “rubbernecking”) creates dangerous visual distractions. These distractions can cause other types of serious or fatal distracted driving accidents in Illinois that are also entirely avoidable, but far too many drivers get caught up in looking at these outside distractions. This is particularly true when drivers take out their cell phones to take photos or videos of the distraction, such as an accident, which then magnifies the danger.

Injured in One of the Common Types of Distracted Driving Accidents in Illinois? Call the Springfield Car Accident Lawyers at the Noll Law Office for Help

If you or a loved one were seriously injured in a distracted driving car accident in Illinois, the Noll Law Office can help you and your family recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, conscious pain and suffering, and other damages such as loss of consortium or wrongful death damages. Distracted driving is illegal in Illinois, and defendants who cause accidents due to cell phone use may be accountable for your damages noted above. Let the Springfield car accident lawyers at the Noll Law Office help you and your family recover the compensation that you need and deserve.

To learn more about your rights to compensation under Illinois law, schedule your free consultation today by dialing (217) 414-8889 or by sending a message here. The dedicated and experienced legal team at the Noll Law Office is happy to answer your questions and explain what your legal rights to compensation may be. To get started, contact them now.

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