In 2025, the role of cellphone distraction in car accidents is well known. Phones are highly distracting to drivers—whether they are talking, texting or even using them for other functions—such as navigating with GPS or streaming music over the car stereo system.
However, many people assume that the cellphone is only a distraction when they are actively engaged with it. For this reason, they may think it is safe to do something like check their text messages if they are waiting at a red light. But a concerning study has found that this may not be the case.
27 additional seconds
What researchers found is that cellphone distraction may start when a person picks up their device, but it does not necessarily end when they set that device back down. Just because a driver puts their phone back into their pocket when the light turns green doesn’t mean that the distraction is over. Instead, it lasts for 27 more seconds.
What drivers need to be aware of is that it takes their brain a bit of time to shift from one activity to the next. If they put the phone down and immediately start driving, they’re probably still thinking about what they were doing on their phone. They also haven’t been looking at traffic conditions around them while they were stopped at the light, so they may be unaware of the position of other vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians.
All of these issues can lead to catastrophic motor vehicle accidents. Injured parties need to know exactly what steps they can take to seek appropriate financial compensation.
Subscribe To This Blog’s Feed
