Applying Make-up or Grooming While Driving: Dangers of Distraction
While you are behind the wheel of a vehicle, it’s important that you avoid being distracted from the road. Keeping both hands on the wheel and your focus on your surroundings is crucial for preventing accidents and avoiding hazards as they arise. If you are distracted while driving, the risks of a collision are much higher. The team at our Provo, UT law firm has helped countless clients with their lawsuits over car accidents. One potential source of distraction includes applying make-up and grooming while behind the wheel. Let’s consider the dangers of these actions. First let’s put things into perspective by noting the dangers of distracted driving. Statistics on Driver Distraction According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), driver distraction plays a role in up to 25 percent of all auto crashes. Given how high these numbers are, it’s been estimated that driver distraction contributes to roughly 1,000 auto accidents a day. Dangers of Applying Make-Up While Driving If you apply make-up while behind the wheel, you are keeping at least one hand off the wheel. You will also be diverting your attention away from the road to a mirror, whether it’s the rearview mirror or a compact. It takes attention and time to apply mascara, eyeshadow, eyeliner, rouge, and lipstick. For perspective, think of this: in just 4 or 5 seconds of driving at highway speeds, your car will travel the length of a football field. A lot of hazards can arise in that short amount of time. Dangers of Styling Your Hair While Driving While not as involved as applying makeover, combing, brushing, or styling your hair while driving can also lead to significant danger. Again, at least one hand will be off the wheel as you try to style of your hair. Your attention will also be diverted to the rearview mirror. You may even turn or twist your head away from the road to get a better look at your hair from different angles. Stop Signs/Red Lights Aren’t Time Enough to Groom Some people try to save all their grooming for stop signs and red lights. While you will be at a full stop for several seconds to a minute or two, this is still not a good idea. Distraction while your vehicle is running is still a hazard given the potential surprises on the road. It may be relatively safer to groom while stopped when compared to grooming while driving, but it still isn’t safe. Grooming Should Come Before or After Driving If there’s one thing we should stress about these incidents, it’s this: your safety on the road comes first and your looks should come second. All acts of grooming should be done before driving or after you arrive at your destination. Make extra time to style and look good rather than trying to save time by multitasking behind the wheel. You can protect yourself and others from harm just by using common sense. Learn More About Your Legal Options For more information about your legal rights and options after an auto collision, be sure to contact our personal injury lawyers. The legal team at Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton is here to help you in your time of legal need.