On The Road Again… Avoiding Dangerous Distractions

“On the road again,” warbles country singer, Willie Nelson, “I just can’t wait to get on the road again.”

Summer has officially ended and fall foliage is near. Here in the northwest, most of us share Mr. Willie Nelson’s sentiments; evidenced by so many more cars on the road. Many of us might plan road trips or other car journeys as well. Willie describes such as a very pleasant endeavor. But is it? It would be, if not for distracted  drivers. We experience it every day, don’t we?

Drivers today are seen talking on their cells, texting, searching for music; not paying enough attention to the road. We also see drivers running red lights, failing to stop at stop signs, exceeding the speed limits and cutting off others as they weave in and out of lanes. Others appear to be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The results could be disastrous. 

The AAA for traffic safety conducts a national survey of U.S. motorists, which measure the degree to which traffic safety is valued and pursued by drivers.

The 2017 index found that although drivers desire a greater level of safety behind the wheel, their practices contradict their attitude. 89% of adults admit to indulging in unsafe driving practices, as in one of the above risky behaviors. (AAA Northeast Newsletter, July 2018)

Let us imagine a scenario. Suppose a father was driving with three children in the back seat. One hand is on the steering wheel, while the other is gripping a beer bottle. Shocking? Now, suppose his hand was holding a cell phone instead? That can be just as dangerous as driving under the influence. The statistics: more than 3400 people were killed in 2016 by such unsafe practices.  

One young man, age 18, proudly announced to me that he can text while driving, because he can do so without ever looking at his phone. While I admire his skill in texting, I have a problem with his judgment regarding what he regards as safe behavior. Taking one’s eye off the road for one second can result in a serious accident.
Drivers can be distracted for up to 27 seconds after using voice commands to change radio stations or send a text message.

If common sense and courtesy (which is not very common these days!) won’t stop distracted drivers, maybe the following will: using a hand held electronic gadget while driving can earn you a ticket in several states including Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and yes, right here in New York.

Nearly 9 in 10 drivers believe distracted driving tops the list of growing dangers on the road, and is on the rise. Count me among those who believe. And you?

I hope each of us will do our part to make travel in our cars safe and enjoyable. Do not indulge in practices that distract, keeping your eyes and attention on driving as well as others on the road. So that we too, ‘just can’t wait to be on the road again,’ and travel safely.