Rubbernecking Can Cause Additional Collisions
By Pyle Law, October 21 2022 3:20 pmDistracted driving comes in many forms, from changing the radio station, setting a GPS, having conversations with fellow passengers, and even eating while driving.
But most of us do not consider rubbernecking to be distracted driving. But why not? Distracted driving is anything that takes the driver’s attention away from the road. Rubbernecking is just that: the driver has stopped giving their full attention to the traffic conditions right in front of them.
If you have been the victim of a secondary collision caused by rubbernecking, you need the experience of Attorney Tom Pyle at Pyle Law. He has helped numerous clients with car accident claims receive the compensation they deserve.
“Rubbernecking” is when a driver cranes their neck to get a better view of an accident or arrest as they drive by. Since we, as humans, are curious creatures, we like to know what is going on when we catch any type of commotion out of the corner of our eye.
Distracted driving comes in many forms: visual, cognitive, and manual.
When you rubberneck, you are diverting your eyes and mind off the road, making it both a visual and cognitive distraction. Rubbernecking aggravates road congestion, causing slow-downs and traffic jams.
A sobering thought: a driver that is rubbernecking will most likely need an ambulance themselves.
When drivers rubberneck, they are turning their heads to get a better look at another accident or a police officer pulling someone over. Drivers are distracted by what is happening at the scene of another accident, so they momentarily stop paying attention to the traffic in front of them.
Although most people are only taking their eyes off the road for a few seconds, rubbernecking has been reported to cause sixteen percent of all secondary collisions. When a driver is riding their brakes, the driver behind them may not realize they are slowing down since they are also rubbernecking, causing another crash.
According to the Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office (KTSRO), one in four crashes is caused by distracted driving. The Kansas Department of Transportation lists rubbernecking as one of the greatest threats on the road.
Secondary collisions that can occur from rubbernecking could potentially cause the following injuries:
This is by no means an exhaustive list. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a driver taking their eyes off the road for five seconds driving 55 miles per hour is the equivalent of driving the span of an entire football field with their eyes closed.
A Kansas car accident lawyer can examine your situation and determine if another driver’s negligence is responsible for your accident.
If so, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses, including:
Kansas is well-known for the number of car accidents that take place yearly. If you have been injured in a car accident due to a rubbernecking, you need Pyle Law to help you recover the compensation you deserve. Anyone who causes you harm should be punished. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
