Distracted Parents: Putting Child Safety First
Parents today have numerous demands on their time. Between work, social life, and other family obligations, it is easy for parents to get distracted and not provide the level of attention children deserve. This can impact your child’s behaviors and has tragic consequences behind the wheel. Distracted driving is a leading cause of car accidents in Bradenton. To protect your child, be aware of the risks.
‘Technoference’: How Devices Take Attention Away From Children
Plenty of people complain about the amount of time children spend staring at cell phones, tablets, and other devices. They claim it keeps them from engaging in more physical activities and from interacting with friends and family members. While this may be true to some degree, most parents have to acknowledge that their children are likely to inherit their technology habits directly from them.
Unfortunately, staring at your cell phone, reading texts or emails, or posting on social media can take attention away from your children. According to Psychology Today, parental distraction due to electronic devices is now so common that it is referred to as ‘technoference’. It can have an impact on your child’s behavior, causing them to act out more in seeking attention. It can also put them at a greater risk for injuries, particularly when a parent is distracted by various devices while driving them to and from school or when out running errands.
Keeping Your Focus on The Road
According to reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), thousands of people across the country are injured each day in car accidents caused by distracted driving. Cell phones, tablets, and other electronic devices are particularly dangerous as they tend to involve all three types of distractions.
Staring at a screen or reading texts takes your eyes off the road and your mind off the important task of driving while scrolling or using the keyboard requires you to remove at least one hand from the wheel. When traveling at speeds of 50 miles per hour, looking away for even a few seconds is the equivalent of driving the entire length of a football field blind folded.
For busy parents, electronic devices are not the only things that can distract them from the road. Changing GPS stations, fixing hair or makeup, and eating fast food or drinking coffee can all distract you long enough to make a car accident more likely. Children misbehaving in the backseat can also be a concern. To protect yourself and them, follow these tips:
- Make sure children are properly secured before starting your vehicle;
- Provide young ones with something to occupy their time during the trip;
- Explain that they will have to sit still while you are driving;
- If they become too disruptive or have a serious need, pull over at a safe location to address the situation.
Let Us Help You Today
When car accidents happen, the Law Office of Steven G. Lavely helps you get the compensation you need to recover in a claim. To request a consultation, contact our Bradenton car accident attorney today.
https://www.lavelylaw.com/helping-families-recover-after-fatal-car-accidents/
