There are now more people dying in car accidents from distracted driving than from drunk driving, particularly teens, and that is not factoring in drugs in the states where cannabis is legal. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that the trend is going up.
Distractions are not just texting but include activities where your attention is focused on phone conversations, (even hands free), eating and drinking beverages, applying makeup, and any non-attention activities. It is sobering, (pun intended), to remember that a vehicle traveling at 55MPH will travel the length of football field in 5 seconds. The two most prevalent scenarios are hitting the guard rail and crossing the center line causing a head on collision.
And now we have technology that can see two cars ahead, and detect when the lane has been crossed, and can make stops before you hit something like another car. But this allows drivers to assume that they are safer. But, at 55 the technology won't be effective and you will be meeting Jesus or the deity of your choice, and pay the price of an accident.
The all to frequent "It can't happen to me" mantra is false reasoning. It is not like the lottery where the odds are in the millions; but with heavy traffic, the odds are much more likely to be even. The responsibility to be aware is ours and technology will not prevent these needless deaths.
Distractions are not just texting but include activities where your attention is focused on phone conversations, (even hands free), eating and drinking beverages, applying makeup, and any non-attention activities. It is sobering, (pun intended), to remember that a vehicle traveling at 55MPH will travel the length of football field in 5 seconds. The two most prevalent scenarios are hitting the guard rail and crossing the center line causing a head on collision.
And now we have technology that can see two cars ahead, and detect when the lane has been crossed, and can make stops before you hit something like another car. But this allows drivers to assume that they are safer. But, at 55 the technology won't be effective and you will be meeting Jesus or the deity of your choice, and pay the price of an accident.
The all to frequent "It can't happen to me" mantra is false reasoning. It is not like the lottery where the odds are in the millions; but with heavy traffic, the odds are much more likely to be even. The responsibility to be aware is ours and technology will not prevent these needless deaths.
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