Oklahoma is one of six states in the nation that does not ban texting and driving for all motorists. Safety advocates wish to enact stricter cellphone laws.
It isn’t uncommon to see an Oklahoma motorist talking on their cellphone or texting while driving. Despite the inherent dangers of performing these activities while driving, they are only prohibited for motorists who have a driver’s permit in the state. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, Oklahoma is one of only six states in the nation that does not ban texting and driving for all motorists. Another 14 states prohibit all drivers from using hand-held cellular devices as well. Advocates of stricter distracted driving legislation argue that by enacting laws to ban drivers from texting and talking on hand-held cellphones, the number of car accidents caused by distracted drivers would be reduced and many lives would be saved.
Understanding the types of distraction
Talking and texting on a hand-held cellphone while driving is especially dangerous because it involves all three types of distractions, according to distraction.gov, the official U.S. government’s website dedicated to distracted driving. These include:
• Cognitive distractions occur when motorists engage in an activity that diverts their concentration away from driving. Carrying on a conversation is a common form of cognitive distraction.
• Visual distractions happen when drivers move their eyes away from the road and look at something else, like reading a text message or searching for a phone in the glove box.
• Manual distractions occur when drivers remove their hands from the steering wheel and use them for something else, like handing an item to a backseat passenger or adjusting the radio dial.
A study performed by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that manual-visual tasks involving the use of hand-held cellular devices can increase the likelihood of getting into a motor vehicle accident by three times.
Are hands free cellphones safer to use?
In states that have banned the use of hand-held cellphones while driving, motorists are encouraged to use hands free devices if they wish to operate their cellphones while driving. Hands free devices eliminate manual and visual distractions while talking on a cellphone; however, they still present a significant amount of cognitive distraction.
The National Safety Council reports that when the brain is engaged in two complex tasks at the same time, such as talking and driving, it is unable to multi-task the activities effectively. While drivers may feel like they are successfully accomplishing two things at once, their brains are switching quickly between one task and the other, leaving moments where they are completely inattentive to any driving hazards that may occur. In some cases, this can cause the driver to ‘not see’ up to 50 percent of the information in their field of vision.
When to seek legal help
Negligent drivers can cause substantial physical and emotional damage to people who are victimized by a distracted driving car accident. It is important for car accident victims to contact an established personal injury attorney who can represent their case in court and help them get the compensation they need for their injuries.
