What happens when drivers take selfies?

Posted in Car Accidents,Our Blog on August 20, 2018

Needless to say, driving along Louisiana roadways requires your full attention. It is crucial that you and other motorists drive defensively in order to avoid hitting pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles and other vehicles on the road. Social media, however, acts as a major distraction to people throughout the country, and the growing number of people who snap selfies while behind the wheel is a concern.

Although it may sound surprising, major social media sites show pictures of people who are taking selfies while driving. Instagram alone shows 9,700 entries under #drivingtowork and 3,727 posts for #drivingselfie. Still more people are snapping selfies while operating boats, airplanes and motorcycles. People of all ages are engaging in these extremely distractive activities; however, there are more teenagers involved. In fact, distracted driving was involved in more than 12 percent of accidents with teenage drivers.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention name three specific types of distractions that drivers can engage in. Manual distractions involve drivers taking their hands off of the steering wheel while doing other things, like getting their camera ready to take a selfie or push the buttons to upload and post the picture. Visual distractions occur when drivers take their eyes off the road. Cognitive distractions, on the other hand, happen when motorists take their focus off of the road and concentrate on something else. The danger of taking a selfie while driving is apparent in that the act involves all three types of distractions.

This information is intended to educate and should not be taken as legal advice.