Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Cell Phones and Driving

Lots of talk in both print and broadcast media right now about texting / talking on the phone while driving. According to studies, talking on the phone while driving ups one's chance for an accident 4 times. Driving while texting ups one's chances 8 times. I'm wondering about that word "accident." Would it really be an "accident" if one is doing something dangerous while driving?

We are a country where a person's "rights" are always strongly considered in any issue -- and that is good so long as common sense and the public good prevails. One could say, "It is my 'right' to drive drunk. It is my 'right' to drive with a blindfold on." And I would reply that is fine if a person is driving in their own pasture -- with no chance of harming anyone else. But not when the welfare of another is at stake.

I admit: I have texted when driving. But I will never do it again. And I admit, even though I did it when no other cars were close by -- I had trouble staying in my lane. And I still talk occasionally on my cell phone while driving. But I am aware that it is a distraction, too.

I would be supportive of a ban on all phone activity for the driver of a vehicle. In fact, I hope it happens. One life lost to the selfish irresponsibility of one who thinks THIS call or THIS message is so vitally important is one life too many. I for one do not know how I could live with the guilt of that.

3 comments:

Jeff said...

I will be surprised to see many changes made. If they do, I hope they add eating, reading the newspaper, applying makeup, inserting CD's into the radio and any other distraction illegal too. I'm guilty of several of these (not the makeup or newspaper examples) and have found that it is easy to be distracted by any of them. I have texted while driving and am only surprised there isn't a much higher incident of wrecks when people do that.

Anonymous said...

I'm tiipping mi respone wile I drivin.

Rick Ross said...

John,
You crack me up!