Most people now recognize that texting while driving is not a safe choice. They realize that they could end up stopped by police or blamed for a crash. Minnesota prohibits manually texting while driving, regardless of the motorist’s age. People who avoid texting while driving may also watch for signs of others using their phones on the road. They may try to give distracted drivers as much space as possible for their own safety.
In some cases, motorists spot someone texting at the wheel while stopped at an intersection as opposed to while actively driving. While that may initially seem like a safer option, it can be just as dangerous as texting while traveling at full speed. Those drivers could easily cause crashes after the light turns green.
Texting causes a cognitive hangover
The human brain takes time to switch priorities from one matter to the next. Mobile phones tend to engage the brain very intensely, which means it takes time to refocus after looking down at a device. Researchers have actually quantified the time it takes to refocus after handling a mobile phone.
Drivers experience ongoing distraction for an average of 27 seconds after they stop looking at and physically handling their devices. The higher the speed limit on a road, the farther a driver might travel without fully focusing on their surroundings after they finish texting. They may fail to notice oncoming traffic or pedestrians across the intersection from them if they proceed through the light as soon as it turns green.
People involved in collisions caused by drivers who handled their phones at intersections may be able to hold the distracted driver accountable. Although it is quite common for people to deny digital distraction, they may admit their misconduct when they think that they have used a clever workaround like waiting until they stop their vehicle to handle their devices. Distracted drivers are often liable for any property damage and injuries they cause to others through their inappropriate habits in traffic.
Realizing that driving hacks such as texting at stoplights aren’t actually safe can help people avoid motor vehicle collisions. Those who understand the cognitive science related to distracted driving can use that information to demand accountability from distracted drivers who cause crashes.