Signs the driver who hit you was distracted

On Behalf of | Nov 7, 2024 | Personal Injury

You’ll likely have a lot of time to reflect on what happened after a crash – even more so if you spend time in a hospital due to your injuries. One thing worth thinking about is whether the other driver was distracted.

Most drivers get distracted a lot, so there is a good chance the one that hit you was, too. The following are signs they may have been:

Were they holding something?

Optimal driving requires both hands to be on the wheel. Yet drivers often do other things with their hands, which limits their ability to steer correctly and quickly. Maybe you saw them holding a phone. Perhaps they were holding a piece of paper with directions, or maybe they had a cup or item of food. All examples would have caused distraction and reduced their ability to drive safely.

Did they fail to do something you expected?

You would expect a driver to stop if the light changes to red. You would expect them to indicate before they turn or change lanes. You would expect them to slow if you are clearly already halfway through pulling out in front of them.

If they didn’t do one of these things, it is probably because they did not notice what was happening due to distraction.

Were they driving erratically?

Erratic driving can take many forms. For example, failing to stay in one lane or failing to maintain a constant speed. Both could result from drunk or drugged driving. But they are often down to distraction.

If you believe distraction played a role in the crash that injured you, learning how to present what you recall as evidence could help you get the compensation you need.