If you’re the parent of a toddler, you know that they often do not stop talking. They can be incredibly distracting, and they are very demanding when it comes to getting their parents’ attention. This doesn’t change just because they’re in the car. Reports have shown that it’s a major reason for distracted driving, which can lead to car accidents.
Most people think of distracted driving as something that tends to affect teenagers, often blaming cellphones for these distractions. And it is certainly true that phones are a distraction, and they do cause accidents, but it’s important to understand that a multitude of distractions exist. For parents of toddlers, their own children could be the biggest distraction they regularly face.
Dropping items
One example of how this happens is that toddlers tend to drop the items that they are playing with in the car. These could be toys, electronic devices, snacks, etc. The majority of parents – 53% – fully admit that they have tried to pick up dropped items while still driving a car.
Food and drinks
Speaking of drinks and snacks, these were studied specifically because they’re such a common issue. 78% of parents in the study said that they would hand a snack to a toddler while still driving the vehicle. A full 80% admitted that they would hand that same toddler something to drink. Parents know that this is a risk, but it’s clearly one that they’re willing to take.
Infant concerns
When a child is an infant, 66% of parents said that their child was a distraction while they were driving. This is especially an issue because new parents are hypersensitive to the needs of their child. If a child is crying or whining in the car, it may be all they can think about – when they need to be thinking about how to drive safely.
With all of this said, the causes of car accidents are often complex. A parent of a small child should never assume that they have no cause for legal action in the wake of a crash simply because they may have been somewhat distracted at the time of impact.