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Driving is second-nature to most people, but drivers still have many distractions with which to contend. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 20% of vehicle accidents with injury in 2009 were caused by drivers who were distracted. If you do your part, you can help cut down on accidents on Interstates, back roads, and everything in between.

One of the main road distractions is texting or using a cell phone. Conversations, especially if they are heated or argumentative, can be very distracting to a driver. When people are sending or reading text messages, they also take their eyes off of the road for too long at a time.

Landmarks and billboards have caused accidents in the past. While they may be lovely or just informative, they take a driver’s attention away from the road and the other drivers. That can easily result in both single- and multi-car accidents.

Using a GPS or other navigation device has also been blamed for distracting drivers and causing them to get into accidents. If that happens to you and you need a car accident lawyer Chicago is one of the best cities for locating a great lawyer to help you.

Eating, drinking, and smoking cause accidents because they require people to take their hands off the wheel. Spilled food or drinks and dropped ashes or lit cigarettes can be a serious problem for anyone who is driving down the highway. It’s best to wait until you’re stopped to drink, eat, or smoke.

Even when a driver is very careful, there is always the chance of a distraction and an accident. However, it’s possible to avoid many of the problems that cause accidents if you pay attention and avoid behaviors that take your attention off the road.