Good lord! It appears that drivers who are distracted are involved in the most -- gasp! -- automobile accidents:
Those sleep-deprived, multitasking drivers - clutching cell phones, fiddling with their radios or applying lipstick - apparently are involved in an awful lot of crashes.
Distracted drivers were involved in nearly eight out of 10 collisions or near-crashes, says a study released Thursday by the government.
I'm glad they finally explained it to me, since they used my tax money to discover the startling news.
Comments
I both read the article and saw the spot on TV....and I'm still a tad "bemused" by it all.
Driving does not lend itself (these days) to "enjoyment" per se (unless you're a boomcar driving audio terrorist out to rid the world of normally hearing individuals).
When Dad used to load the family in the car for a "Sunday drive" to the country (for about two hours), THAT was as pleasurable as driving got (for him).
Later, Dad used to remark that "driving is my SECOND job". And he impressed that on me to such an extent that I am ALL BUSINESS when behind the wheel. Not to mention I drove for a major company, and with a "rolling billboard", you don't SCREW UP...people will know (and tell).
Yet every single day, I (like so many others) am privy to scores of "drivers" (using the term as loosely as possible) that assault our highways, expecting the drivers who ARE paying attention to get the hell out of THEIR way...like it's their God-given right to be stupid.
And I thought being stupid was a privilege...silly me...LOL!
DRIVING is a privilege...and should be respected as such.
These people need to do others (as well as themselves) a BIG favor....
Either drive the vehicle properly...or just stay the hell HOME....and it doesn't get any more easier than that.
B.G.
I'm amused by the idea that officials are considering banning this or that behavior until, as in some places in Europe, it becomes scandalous for a driver to be caught drinking a beverage.
Somebody recently declared that if your mind is distracted from your driving by a cell phone call, you're operating the vehicle no better than a drunk driver.
The elephant in the living room, of course, is the one thing that everyone knows but few dare to say out loud during this debate:
The most common and distracting thing people do while driving, by far, is deal with kids in the passenger seats. So if we're going to be fair to singles and marrieds alike on the matter of banning distractions, well...
I'm sure not every parent referees fights or caters the fast food to kids while driving, but I'm equally sure many drivers like me limit cell phone use to finding a destination or informing someone they'll arrive late.