People sometimes think that parents are automatically better drivers than those without children. After all, most parents do everything in their power to keep their children safe. They install car seats and might even buy specific makes and models of vehicles that offer better protection for passengers in the event of a collision.
Parents may assume that they aren’t at risk of distraction while driving with their children. They may find it easier than other drivers to avoid mobile phone use because their children’s safety comes before anything else. Unfortunately, the presence of their children in the vehicle could be a source of dangerous distraction that could easily lead to a life-altering collision.
Children are very distracting passengers
New parents typically learn quickly that they need to monitor their children proactively to identify and meet their needs. Especially when children are young, parents tend to focus on them quite intensely. The needs of a toddler or infant in a vehicle could very easily lead to a driver causing a crash through distraction. Children create numerous forms of distraction. They may start crying or kicking the seat in front of them. They might throw their toy or pacifier at a parent, possibly in a bid to get attention.
If there is more than one child in the vehicle, an argument could easily occur. Any and all of those potential distractions could force a parent to split their attention. Many parents with young children admit to making eye contact with their children through the rearview mirror or reaching into the back seat or the passenger seat to collect something for their children. They also admit to experiencing cognitive distraction related to monitoring their children. While such distraction is not illegal the way that texting while driving is, it is still dangerous. In scenarios where someone with children in their vehicle caused a crash, distraction might be the underlying cause of the incident.
Those who understand what contributes to the risk of a distraction-related collision can use that information to prioritize their safety in traffic and to hold the right party accountable for causing any wrecks that do occur. The presence of young children in a vehicle can often directly influence the likelihood of a crash occurring because parents cannot give the road their full attention when transporting kids around.