Texting while driving has been getting a great deal of attention especially among teens. Keeping your eyes on a tiny keyboard rather than the road in front of you is a disaster waiting to happen. Yet, texting is just one distraction in a long host of distractions that could lead to deadly consequences. There are no indications that hands-free phones are less risky than hand-held phones. Driving distractions have been around long before cell phones. The real issue is the distracted driver.
It is no secret that more and more technology is gradually becoming all too common in vehicles. Are these devices really helping motorists or driving them to more distractions? Have you ever wondered how many distracted drivers are on the roadway when you get in your vehicle, and are you joining them? What if a vehicle’s emergency flashers automatically went on every time a driver was distracted? Would they light the roadways like "rockets’ red glare?"
It seems what the manufacturer doesn’t put in the vehicle, the driver brings along for the ride. The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) is already expressing concerns. “There is a fine line between giving drivers the information they need and presenting them with devices that could draw attention away from the road,” noted IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger. “If it is not acceptable to read a novel while driving, how can it be acceptable to read a multimedia display?”
So, is the issue of driver distraction more a reflection of a driver’s behavior, or an overload of technology? With the arsenal of auto safety technology, it is more important now than ever to understand all the features of your car, where they are located, and how to use them. If you are not familiar with your vehicle’s features are they really helping to keep you safe?
Here are a few questions I urge you to ask yourself and be honest in your answers.
- Do you keep your eyes on the road or has your car become a mobile office and entertainment center?
- Are you more interested in your cell phone call than the road?
- Are you a driving deejay? Simple things like changing the radio can be a big distraction.
- Are you getting comfortable with the latest technology in your vehicle relying on warning signs if danger is present?
Safe driving is about focus pure and simple. Make a commitment to drive distraction-free. Start by removing one distraction per week. Which distraction will you avoid this week to become a safer driver?
Mark Bello has thirty-three years experience as a trial lawyer and twelve years as an underwriter and situational analyst in the lawsuit funding industry. He is the owner and founder of Lawsuit Financial Corporation which helps provide legal finance cash flow solutions and consulting when necessities of life litigation funding is needed by plaintiffs involved in pending, personal injury litigation. Bello is a Justice Pac member of the American Association for Justice, Sustaining and Justice Pac member of the Michigan Association for Justice, Business Associate of the Florida, Tennessee, and Colorado Associations for Justice, a member of the American Bar Association as well as their ABA Advisory Committee, the State Bar of Michigan and the Injury Board.
@thumbnail.jpg "Mark M. Bello")
Experienced attorney, lawsuit funding expert, certified civil mediator, and award-winning author of the Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series. The series features super-trial lawyer Zachary Blake handling "ripped from the headlines" legal and political issues of the day. The series currently consists of Betrayal of Faith, Betrayal of Justice, Betrayal in Blue, Betrayal in Black, and Betrayal High, with a sixth Zachary Blake novel due out later this year. To learn more about these topical social justice legal thrillers. please visit markmbello.com. Mark is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, a sustaining member of the Michigan Association for Justice, and a member of the American Association for Justice.
2 Comments
cygel White
Mission
“TextKills, an advocacy group committed to road safety, is dedicated to increasing awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. With the proliferation of Smartphones and the constant streaming of information to and from these and other “smart” mobile communication devices, texting while driving (TWD) is now an epidemic that results in thousands of fatalities and 100's of thousands of injuries annually. TextKills educates the public through social media campaigns and school tours in order to promote policies and programs aimed at enhancing greater personal responsibility and safety awareness among drivers and, ultimately, eliminating TWD from our roadways.”
In 2010, TextKills launched a tour to rally college and high-school students against the dangers of TWD. Our team presented information to these students and encouraged each attendee to sign a promise to pay attention when driving. We also promoted a mobile application designed to help drivers resist the urge, and temptation, to engage in TWD. The TextKills blog (www.textkills.com) documented each stop along the way as the tour eventually found its way to the 2010 Distracted Driving Summit, hosted by the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C. TextKills strongly believes that it is critical to direct its mission to the youth of this country, given the findings of a 2009 government study that found that the under-20 age group comprised the largest percentage, by age category, of distracted drivers.
During 2011, TextKills will continue to strive for a surge in pledges and media coverage so as to further spread its mission of safety, attention to road laws and mobile communications etiquette. The group’s goal is to instill these principles into the next generation of drivers and smart device users, so that like taking the precaution of buckling up a seatbelt, undistracted driving and responsible mobile communications practices will no longer be just a dream, but rather a life-saving reality.
So I ask you, "Do you agree that texting while driving is a bad practice?"
AND A SOLUTION............................Technology
DriveReply™ for iPhone, BlackBerry and Android was designed to combat cell phone usage behind the wheel. It features customizable auto-replies and utilizes GPS technology to detect when your vehicle is in motion. It is feature rich and easy to use. Some of the features include personalization, customization of replies, cyber bullying protection with a no-reply list, and enhanced convenience and security with a unique My Drive 5 -- ringing a unique tone, if any of your significant persons try to reach you at a time when you should be focused on the road. Learn more at the website (www.drivereply.com).
Tips for curbing or better yet, eliminating, TWD --
Try storing your phone in the glove department and keep it on silent mode or simply turn it off while you are driving.
If you must check your phone, first pull over to the side of the road and stop your car.
If you know a friend is driving, try to help them out by resisting the urge to text or call them.
Michele
Thank you for your article. You are spot on with the message. Distractions, of any kind, are dangerous in the car.
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