“The leading cause of distracted driving arises because some people conduct themselves in their cars as if in their living rooms.”
We are all familiar with the refrain “ but I only took my eyes off the road for a split second!” No reason to disbelieve the speaker because that´s all it takes, a nano-second for a well ordered life to slip into absolute chaos.
Distraction is at the heart of so many collisions that it is now getting the same type of recognition as driving while impaired. One is DWI, and the other is DWD. On the one hand it is not good to drive for long durations without a glance to the side, as to do otherwise is to risk becoming hypnotized; the crucial thing is timing. When to avert one’s gaze from time to time for relief, and also to flex one’s fingers.
There are just so many things competing for our attention. Firstly we have to be aware of motorists who would pass us on our right side. These could be motorcycle riders, (normally moped riders) when we are slowed by traffic, to other cars if we are in the central lane on a motorway outside town. Then, of course there are the plethora of road signs, both as to speed and direction, and the special circumstantial signs that have to do with detours and road works. So, really, do we need all those signs about Real Estate Agencies, supermarkets, hardware stores, shopping centres, fast foods, and the like?
“Hands-Free Mobile Phones”
Into this mix some bright spark thought it would be a good idea if we drove while holding a telephone up to our ear. Fortunately we are coming to our senses on this one. I have a “hands-free” mobile unit that is very efficient, but I must admit that I do find that my concentration for the road is shared with that of my conversation with my caller. I did reason in the past that it was the same as talking to my front seat passenger, which in itself is distracting, but I’m coming around to the view that the telephone is more demanding.
For one thing, I am always concerned that my caller can hear me, so the volume of my voice is always higher than if I was speaking to a passenger next to me. By that sheer effort more concentration is put into that conversation. Increasingly, I am letting the phone ring as I drive, electing instead to ring back when I am well and truly safely able to do so. It is prohibited to use mobile phones with earpieces or headsets, as these mask over essential road sounds.
Smoking while driving.
I have no personal experience of this but it does seem to be a prime source of distraction. Lighting the cigarette with the electric lighter, as efficient as that is does require that few seconds when you have to look at where you are putting the lighter. And then there is the matter of ash management, and stray ash is at least dirty, if not actually hot.
GPS
These are marvellous technologies that can be very helpful.(They can also get you completely lost.) At times I sure could use some help in finding some of the addresses that I need to get to, but if I have the GPS screen to look at while driving that could be even worse than driving and looking for a street name that is usually written in such small letters that you have to be standing right up close to read it. The voice direction is good, but I do think that the screen should not be visible to the driver. That is something for the passenger/navigator.
Car Stereo/CD player/Radio
A car without the above is incomplete because these could be counted as a safety measure to keep the driver alert. When playing the radio it is frequently necessary to change stations. Best to be able to do this by touch rather than actually having to look at the display. If a CD, at least that can be set up before staring the journey and would not normally need any more attention from the driver. This is about as good as it gets.
Daydreaming/Meeting Planning/ Mental Column Writing/Apologising to Partners
Long journeys where the scenery is so familiar encourages all sorts of mental activity that is outside that of concentrating on the road. Fatigue is also a killer that must be carefully planned out of the question. But the most common thing we do is to start daydreaming about what we would do if we won the lottery. On a more constructive level, if we are driving to meet with clients we tend to strategise how we will conduct ourselves in the meeting. It simply is as natural a thing to do as breathing, but being aware of the possible negative consequences of being so distracted is important if we are to avoid the failure to arrive.
I am always writing this column because by simply getting behind the wheel the ideas start to flow like fine wine. I am learning however, that I must put things in perspective and that a simple one-word thought is enough. I don’t need to have the whole thing written by the time I arrive at my destination..
Finally, driving while emotionally upset deserves a column all its own, which I may attempt at some future date. This can be the set-up of a very deadly end result of a string of events. When a couple clash in the home over something or other, and that results in one person storming out of the house and into the car, full of anger or tears, the ability to drive becomes perhaps even more impaired than through alcohol, and may even include a death wish. How many innocent other road users have become entangled in what was originally a lover´s break-up?
Motorcyclists! Please wear the lime-green reflective “Gerry Jacket” by day as well as at night. Be Seen to be Safe!
Copyright © 2006-2007 Eugene Carmichael
