A few weeks ago, a Minneapolis driver dropped her cell phone on the passenger side floor, reached to pick it up, and slammed into a stopped car in front of her. She killed Grayson Paul Earl Jett, a 14-month-old boy, in a tragic pattern of events that repeats itself on roadways across the United States.
During the last few years, distracted driving has evolved from a dangerous practice to a deadly epidemic, perhaps the least recognized public safety crisis of the 21st century.
Talking, texting, emailing, entering data into a GPS, and other distractions contribute to 6,000 deaths -- and more than 500,000 injuries -- every year. Yet, seven of 10 people between the ages of 18 and 49 readily admit that, even though aware of the danger, they remain unwilling to put down their electronics and concentrate on the road. The results are 100 percent preventable accidents that shatter the lives of too many families. The victims are not just statistics. They are our mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, or toddlers like Grayson, strapped in his car seat, along for a ride with his dad.
But there is good news. Drivers can and do change their behaviors. For example, drunk driving fatalities have decreased by 14 percent during the last two years. Here's another: 84 percent of Americans now buckle up whenever they get into a car, up from 60 percent only 15 years ago. Why? A mix of stronger laws, more effective enforcement and strategic public outreach.
Informed by these recent, early successes, a coalition of lawmakers, enforcement officers and citizen advocates are drafting a roadmap to the day when distracted driving is a behavior of the past. We could not ask for a better partner than Oprah Winfrey and her No Phone Zone initiative. Because of our common efforts, six states have banned handheld cell phone use for all drivers while another 23 have outlawed messaging behind the wheel. And we're just getting started.
For the Obama administration's part, the President has prohibited all federal employees from texting while operating a government car -- and from using a government mobile device while operating a private car.
The Department of Transportation has forbidden commercial truck and bus drivers from messaging on the job. We've provided sample legislation, endorsed by both safety organizations and the wireless and automobile industries, for states considering policy solutions. Last month, we began two pilot programs -- one in Syracuse, New York, and the other in Hartford, Connecticut -- that test whether highly visible enforcement and an aggressive public advertising campaign can change our neighbors' minds and actions.
For more on our efforts, please visit www.distraction.gov or my blog, The Fast Lane.
Still, we must do more. Lives are at stake. And I'm thrilled that Oprah will devote her entire April 30 show to promoting National No Phone Zone Day.
Together, we'll raise awareness, honor the victims, and build support for this crucial cause. We can and will reach the day when no other families like Grayson's will suffer because a driver took his or her eyes off the road and hands off the wheel.
Freedom? Outlawed in Lib-World...
http://thefiresidepost.com/2010/04/01/tiger-woods-treated-for-texting-addiction/
When you're sitting behind the wheel, conducting your motor vehicle down the road, it's kind of like being at work. Your job is to get to where you're going, without breaking anything, and killing or injuring yourself, or anyone else. Some people like to multitask, and to some degree, other things will tend to impinge on a driver's concentration, and hence their ability to perform the above task with a full measure of concentration and maximum attention to safety. But, given that your immediate future is directly intertwined with the 'movie' running in front of your car, you should really give that your maximum attention, and strive not to let yourself be distracted by what's going on INside the car, or off to the side of the road or something. Much is known about things that can adversely affect a motorist's ability, but the answer to the question asked after an accident still remains 'why', and excuses like lipstick, cellphones, barking dogs, barking kids, whatever, still ring hollow at the funeral. Be smart, be safe, pay attention, let the phone ring, keep your eyes(and your mind) focused on what's ahead of you. Other people might make mistakes, too, so you kind of need to be on your toes.
As an 'older' new driver.....distracted driving is a big issue. Many states still need to consider banning cell phone use while driving, not only hands free. Driving is serious business. The book "Traffic" by Tom Vanderbilt researches all areas of driving and gives excellent suggestions on how road design could help make driving safer. Still, seatbelt use (for pets as well as adults and children), proper car maintenance and concentration on the 'skill' at hand are major considerations. And driving is a skill...that deteriorates when it takes back seat to talking on the phone.
Dog leash laws are in place to protect people and their pets. Even if you trust your well trained dog off leash....what are you going to do when another less disciplined off leash canine crosses your path? How are you going to protect yourself, if you can not control what others do? Now imagine two cell phone users on the same street....You only need one of them to miss a road signal to cause catastrophy.
Distractions are an aspect of today's life. There is no way to dedicate 100% of your attention to driving 100% of the time. Trying to legislate that will always end in failure. Yes, people ABSOLUTELY need to be help responsible for accidents, death, damage and any other side effects of their actions. I don't advocate letting people do anything they want in a car, but let's not run down the road to a nanny-state either where every aspect of everything we do needs a law.
I've been hard @ work for my "mission" of ending drivers on cells since 1/13/10.
For WHY drivers need to Click Off Cell When Clicking On Seatbelt:
http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/Distracted_Driving/Pages/CognitiveDistraction.aspx
To print out 720 "Turn Off Cell B/4 Driving!" safety reminder stickers + 30 site direction stickers to tell others how to get 720 of their own using Avery 5260 labels:
http://myplace.frontier.com/~DriveSafely/
Perfect for placing on cells & drivers' visors; to wear & to SHARE 1 @ a time, in strips of 10, or pages of 30; &/or to "seal" snail mail!
I eagerly await hearing that the stickers are appearing in your area!! They are also in the United Kingdom, Bolivia, Canada, & most states!!! Be the first in YOUR area to SHARE them!!!!
I've been hard @ work for my "mission" of ending drivers on cells since 1/13/10.
For WHY drivers need to Click Off Cell When Clicking On Seatbelt:
http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/Distracted_Driving/Pages/CognitiveDistraction.aspx
To print out 720 "Turn Off Cell B/4 Driving!" safety reminder stickers + 30 site direction stickers to tell others how to get 720 of their own using Avery 5260 labels:
http://myplace.frontier.com/~DriveSafely/
Perfect for placing on cells & drivers' visors; to wear & to SHARE 1 @ a time, in strips of 10, or pages of 30; &/or to "seal" snail mail!
I eagerly await hearing that the stickers are appearing in your area!! They are also in the United Kingdom, Bolivia, Canada, & most states!!! Be the first in YOUR area to SHARE them!!!!