Cellphones lead to endless stories of distracted driving. Drivers run into the back of stopped cars, drift into the oncoming lanes, run through stop signs and red lights, and much more. People need to know that it’s time to put the phone down and drive.
As important as that is, though, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration carefully notes that there are distractions both inside and outside of the car. It is possible for a driver to ignore their phone and still become very distracted while driving. One thing that the NHTSA specifically points out is distractions from “people, places, or things of interest alongside the road.”
Think about Vegas at night:
- Flashing lights
- Billboards
- Road signs
- Pedestrians
- Street performers
- A replica of the Eiffel Tower
- Casinos
- Hotels
- Resorts
This is just scratching the surface. The city is so chaotic. One sign declares it “The City of Entertainment” and it is exactly that. The designers did all they could to pack as much entertainment as possible into the famous Las Vegas Strip.
Plus, all of those venues are vying for your attention and they know it. They want to pull your eyes off the road. They want you to stare at the flashing lights and the neon glow. They want you to try to read everything and look at every attraction. That’s how the city makes money.
The risk
Unfortunately, this mass commercialism and incredible nightlife, as fun as it can be for visitors, is also very risky. Drivers get bombarded with sensory information for a simple drive down the street. They’re lucky if they can keep their eyes on the road at all. Everything around them is telling them to stop watching traffic, to stop watching street signs, and to watch something else instead.
If this is their first time in the city, it’s even worse. Everything is brand new and exciting. They don’t know where anything is, so they have to sort through all of this information while searching for specific destinations. It can feel overwhelming.
That’s an issue because Vegas is also one of the top travel destinations in the United States. For a lot of the drivers, this is their first time in the city. Rental cars flood the streets. People make abrupt turns, stop to look at maps, try to reprogram their GPS units, and much more.
After an accident
At the end of the day, all of this distraction and confusion means that accidents are fairly common. People get hit in cars, on bikes, and on foot. They suffer serious injuries and end up in the hospital.
If this happens to you, make sure you are well aware of the steps you need to take.
