Earlier this week, a man in Oklahoma City crashed into a truck in an apparent doughnut-distraction related incident. According to KFOR News Channel Four, the collision happened overnight in Oklahoma City just as a man was pulling out of the Dunkin’ Donuts parking lot near northwest 39th and Meridian. As he was pulling into the intersection, he reportedly dropped his doughnut. Distracted and in an attempt to recover the doughnut, the driver somehow crashed into a box truck.
Driver Distracted by Doughnut
The truck was hit so forcefully that it overturned and came to rest on its side. Both drivers and a passenger were injured in this crash. Thankfully, none of the injuries were initially reported to be life threatening. There has been no word on whether or not the doughnut-distracted driver has been cited in this case, or if the investigation is ongoing.
Different Forms of Distracted Driving
Although we hear about it a lot, texting isn’t the only form of distracted driving. Sure, texting, checking Facebook and reading emails are all very dangerous forms of distracted driving. There are a variety of other types of behaviors that can be considered distractions behind the wheel. In fact, eating, manipulating the radio, messing with your GPS navigation machine and putting on makeup are all considered distractions when performed behind the wheel. If your attention is on anything besides the task of driving, you’re distracted. Daydreaming is even a form of distracted driving. When you’re behind the wheel, you need to focus 100 percent of your attention to the road and to the task of driving.
Three Types of Distracted Driving
- Manual
- Cognitive
- Visual
The Types of Distracted Driving
There are three basic types of distracted driving. First, there are visual distractions. These involve any task that takes your eyes off of the road. Second, there are manual distractions, which involve taking your hands off of the wheel. Finally, there are cognitive distractions, which take your mind off of the task of driving. It’s important to note that many distracted driving behaviors can fall into more than one of these categories. For example, texting is a manual, visual and cognitive distraction.
If you have been injured or if you have lost a loved one in a distracted driving accident in Wichita Falls, Lawton or any of the surrounding Texoma communities, contact the skilled team at the Altman Legal Group at 940-761-4000 for a free consultation.