Every time drivers get in their vehicle to go somewhere, there is a risk they could cause a distracted driving accident that endangers the life of another person. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that every day in the U.S., nine people die and over 1,000 people sustain injuries in distracted driving accidents.
There are many types of distraction that can put drivers and others at risk. For example, drivers become more likely to cause a crash if they eat and drive, look at their phone for directions, apply makeup or shave while driving or switch the radio station.
The three types of distraction
Although many types of distracted driving are dangerous, texting and driving is one of the riskiest activities because it combines all the three types of driver distraction: cognitive, visual and manual.
Cognitive distraction occurs when a driver’s primary focus is no longer driving, and visual distraction happens when a driver takes his or her eyes off of the road. Additionally, a driver becomes manually distracted when he or she removes one or both hands from the steering wheel.
Texting and driving laws in Kentucky
According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Office of Highway Safety, it is illegal for drivers to text while their vehicle is in motion. Drivers over the age of 18, however, can use their cellphone while driving to select or enter a telephone number to call someone or use their phone to get directions while driving. Drivers under the age of 18 cannot use their cellphone for any reason while driving.