What is Distracted Driving?
Updated January 24, 2026
Operating a vehicle while engaged in other activities that divert attention from driving, including texting, eating, or using navigation systems.
Understanding Distracted Driving
Distracted driving causes thousands of fatal crashes annually. Cell phone records, witness statements, and data from vehicle systems can prove distraction. Many states ban texting while driving. Distraction evidence strengthens negligence claims.
Examples
- 1Texting driver rear-ending stopped vehicle
- 2Driver looking at GPS missing traffic signal
- 3Phone records showing text sent at time of crash
Related Terms
Negligence
The failure to exercise the level of care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in similar circumstances, resulting in harm to another person or their property.
Yield Right of Way
A traffic law requiring drivers to allow other vehicles or pedestrians to proceed first in certain situations. Failure to yield is a common cause of intersection collisions and pedestrian accidents.
Rear-End Collision
An accident where one vehicle strikes the back of another vehicle, typically establishing fault against the following driver.
T-Bone Accident
A collision where the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another, forming a T shape, often occurring at intersections.
Head-On Collision
A crash where the fronts of two vehicles collide while traveling in opposite directions, often resulting in catastrophic injuries or death.
For Motor Vehicle Collision cases
The record behind a term like this one is built by the client, not the file.
Quilia asks clients about treatment, appointments and how they are doing, records the answers on the case, and syncs it to Clio, Filevine, MyCase, Neos and more.
Keep Clients Informed Without the Phone Calls
Quilia's client portal keeps your clients engaged with automated updates, reminders, and document collection, so your team can focus on winning cases.