Almost twenty years after the fact I remember hearing the news about the accident. I taught in the school district but didn't live there, so I didn't know the high school student who crashed his car and lost his life. My co-workers couldn't understand how this happened - the student wasn't drinking; there were no cell phones in those days; there was no other vehicle involved; and he was alone in the car. What caused him to lose control and crash into a tree? The police investigation revealed that he was distracted when he reached for a CD. It wasn't called "distracted driving" then, but that was the first time I heard of a concrete example that being distracted while you are driving can cost you your life.
My friend in New Mexico knows more about distracted driving than she ever wanted to learn. Her friend died last year after he was hit by a distracted driver. In response to the tragedy she has researched the issue, written letters, contacted legislators, and worked on legislation for the state of New Mexico. Laws are changing there and elsewhere around the country. Education is an important aspect of the campaign to stop distracted driving, which includes texting but is a wider problem than that.
I am one of those people who needs to be totally focused on my driving. It sounds funny but I involuntarily cringe when an actor on screen takes their eyes off the road while they're driving. I don't know that I personally know people who drive distracted. I know for sure that I've seen distracted drivers on the road and do my best to steer clear when they cross the center line or drift onto the shoulder. I live in a state that hasn't outlawed cell phone use while driving, though legislation is in the works.
It matters that we raise people's awareness about this issue. There are statistics that indicate it's time to sound the alarm, and there is a new documentary on the subject. This is a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxyjJyf7gGM.
The brief description of the program is this:
Produced by Emmy © Award winning
Christopher Productions LLC, this program highlights the most recent
brain research involving cell phone use, DWI, and other causes of car
crashes and helps us understand why distracted driving crashes are
rising at an alarming rate, especially for young people.
I have not seen the full program or heard how the documentary will be available. When I have more information I will share it here.
4 comments:
Seems to be there will always be a new distraction, I am more alarmed by other drivers suddenly meandering than anything else.
That said, I'm so aware that in my youth we did all sorts of things in moving cars, including switching drivers and making out, etc.
Youth has eternal life, right?
XO
WWW
One mistake, one moment can change a life forever. This ad encapsulates this serious issue brilliantly, I think. It's sobering, to say the least.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3WWpCUme3M
xoxo
Carolynn
Two years ago, I was at a full stop and a car rear-ended me at 40 miles an hour. My car was totaled but by some miracle I was fine. The driver said he wasn't on his cell phone, but please, of course he was.
I am like you, so focused on driving. And looking out for those who are not. I dislike those parts in movies, too, where the driver talks to passenger with eyes off road. I dislike it even more in real life and when I'm a passenger I do not look at the driver for fear they will look back at me!
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