As a motorist who frequents the roads in Knoxville, you may feel so familiar with your route that you often resort to distractions to keep yourself from getting bored. Although you have managed to drive around without accidents thus far, you should know that distractions are one of the biggest causes of car accidents in the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car accidents that involve distracted drivers injure at least 1,161 people a year.
With the risk of accidents due to distractions increasing, you should make yourself aware of how your driving actions endanger everyone on the roads.
Distractions prevent safe driving habits
“Distractions that result in you taking your eyes off the roads for any length of time present the greatest risk of danger to motorists,” states CBSNews.com. When you text and drive, you are not looking at the roads. You cannot see what is going on around your vehicle. If a driver were to make a sudden stop, swerve in front of you or do some other dangerous driving maneuver, you would be unable to avoid them. When you cannot drive defensively enough to protect yourself and your passengers, other motorists cannot drive defensively to protect themselves from you.
Car accidents can cause life-changing injuries
Car accidents are not the only consequences that you face when you engage in distracted driving. Collisions with other vehicles can result in serious injuries that can result in temporary and permanent disabilities and death.
Distracted driving can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. All it takes is just one unfortunate event to change your life forever.