Drivers should never use their phone in the car. It is a common source of distracted driving. One of the main issues is when people try to text and drive, communicating with friends, family members or coworkers even while they are on the road.
But some drivers find it hard to shake the compulsion to check their notifications, even in the vehicle. In order to text and drive safely, they believe, all they have to do is use their phone when the car is stopped. If they pull up to a red light, for example, they will use that brief pause to check their text messages, and then they will put the phone down when they start driving again.
But for drivers who are considering this, or who believe it is safe, it is very important to know that the distraction does not end at that point.
It lasts for 27 more seconds
What studies have found is that there is an average cognitive distraction, even after the person puts their phone down, for roughly 27 more seconds. For the next half minute, the driver is still mentally distracted by whatever they were doing on their phone while they were stopped.
Because of this, these distracted drivers still cause serious accidents. A driver may not see pedestrians in the crosswalk, for example, and instinctively execute their turn as soon as the light turns green. But that could cause a serious pedestrian accident, all because of the cellphone distraction, even though the phone is no longer in their hand at the time of the crash.
It is always wise to avoid using the phone in the car and avoid distraction yourself, but you could still be injured in an accident caused by another driver. If this happens, you must know exactly what legal options you have to seek compensation.
