If you’re a driver, you are responsible for operating a piece of machinery with enormous kinetic energy. Most of us were very aware of that responsibility when we first got our licenses to drive. Over the years, as driving became more routine, we relaxed. As adults, we didn’t have a second thought about reaching over to fiddle with the radio while behind the wheel. “It’s cool; I’m still in control,” we would think.
All it takes is a couple of seconds of distraction for a tragedy to occur.
Most of us have now heard about the dangers of using cell phones for voice calls or text messages while driving. According to one statistic, this year alone, one in 30 drivers will end up in the hospital as a result of cell phone distractions causing driving-related accidents.
But the phone isn’t the only distraction in the car. The EndDD online campaign, established to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving, reminds us “Cell phone use is attributed to 18% of fatalities in distraction-related crashes. What makes up the other 82%? Putting on lipstick, reaching over to grab a drink, changing the music, reading a roadmap, eating on the go.” The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety cautions that, “Drivers spend more than half their time behind the wheel engaged in distracted behavior. Eating, smoking, adjusting music or rubbernecking while driving can be just as dangerous as texting, emailing or talking on a cell phone.”
There are hundreds of potential ways to lose your focus on guiding your vehicle, and as drivers we must learn to resist them. Maintaining safety for yourself, for your passengers, and for other people sharing the road must always be your top concern.
Obviously, the first step is your personal commitment. Turn off your electronic devices whenever you get behind the wheel. If you need to consult a map or to eat, pull off the road first. Your individual dedication to a safe roadway is the one step that nobody else can make on your behalf
Take the pledge
The EndDD online campaign, a project of the Casey Feldman Memorial Foundation, was established to raise awareness of the devastating potential effects of just a few seconds carelessness while driving. The organization asks individuals to make a personal commitment — either in writing or video — to improve safe driving practices.
Other organizations have endorsed the notion of an individual public pledge for safer driving. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety suggests the following pledge for drivers: “I pledge to drive distraction-free, with the goal to permanently reduce my distracted driving habits. I will spread the word about driving distraction-free among my family and friends encouraging them to resist distracting behaviors while driving.”
Share the message
It’s important for you to let other people know that driving safety has become a key concern. Let’s face it: people trying to reach you by phone become frustrated when their calls fall through to voicemail. You can relieve some of this frustration by changing your voicemail message to remind callers that you will not answer your cell phone while driving, but that you will return their calls as soon as it is safe to do so. A polite response not only eases frustration, it also sends the message that you care.
