Like most people in Louisiana, you likely understand that car accidents are typically just that: accidents. Yet sometimes, the actions of the driver that causes your accident are so inexplicable that you cannot help but wonder what prompted them.
Many in your same situation that come to us here at The Townsley Law Firm describe seeing evidence indicating that shows that in the aforementioned scenario, the drivers that hit them were obviously eating or drinking something when the accident occurred. The question then becomes could that actually be the root cause of a car accident.
The dangers of eating and drinking while driving
According to a joint research effort between the Auto Alliance and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, eating and/or drinking while driving indeed can be. In fact, statistics show that those who do so regularly are 3.6 times more likely to experience an accident than those who do not. The reason why has to do with the types of distractions that eating while driving causes, namely:
- Manual distractions: Actions that require the use of one’s hands
- Cognitive distractions: Actions that require one’s attention
- Visual distractions: Actions that require one’s vision
One must take at least one hand off the steering wheel when eating to grasp their food, and they also need to direct their attention and their gaze at it to avoid spills. While each of those actions individually may not seem distracting, cumulatively they can limit one’s reaction time for an extended period as they travel on the road alongside you.
Evidence of eating behind the wheel
What might that evidence of eating while driving referenced earlier be? Look for open food wrappers in a vehicle or fresh stains on a driver’s hands or clothing.
You can find more information on assigning liability for a car accident throughout our site.
