Few things compare to the simple joy of rolling down your windows, turning up some music, and going for a drive in the evening. The feeling of wind in your hair while you listen to the music playing is a great way to unwind after a long day.
It’s easy, however, to get lost in thought while singing along. Driving in New York can be both fun and treacherous, but music can provide distractions that create even greater dangers.
Risk of Mind-Wandering While Listening to Music
Perhaps the greatest danger that listening to music while driving presents is the possibility of daydreaming. The biggest cause of distracted driving accidents is a simple lack of paying attention. Singing along to the radio or listening too intently to the lyrics of a song can easily be a distraction, especially if a driver stops focusing on the road or other vehicles.
Adjusting Music and Controls While Driving
Although making adjustments to car controls accounts for a pretty small percentage of distractions that cause accidents, it is still a risk. Adjusting the volume or skipping tracks on a playlist can easily cause a driver to look away from the road long enough for a vehicle to seemingly come out of nowhere. These adjustments should be made when a vehicle is at a complete stop, so there is no risk of causing a collision.
Combined Distractions
While listening to music presents some dangers just by itself, the greater risk comes from a combination of distractions. For example, if someone’s phone rings while he’s listening to music while driving, he tries to turn down the music, answer the phone, and begin talking all at once. He’s very distracted and likely to respond to outside conditions slowly, or not at all. Loud music can also make it difficult to hear emergency vehicles with sirens as they approach, creating the possibility of an accident or failure to yield.
Call Us Today!
Distracted drivers are a serious danger on the road. If you have been injured in an accident with a driver who seemed distracted, then call the NY car accident attorneys at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, at (212) 986-7353 to discuss your options.