My experience is that if you take away the privilege of a specific behavior, human nature drives us to figure out another way to continue the behavior, sometimes regardless of the consequence. While the bans were implemented with good intention, unfortunately it may be causing novice or less advanced "hands-free friendly users" to actually be more distracted and therefore more hazardous. Ideally, we would all practice using our hands-free devices while safely parked...(yeah, I said ideally)
Obviously any intentional distraction while driving is potential for hazard, but what about the unintentional 'daydreaming, auto-pilot, lose my day in my favorite cd' mode? How do we monitor or control that? To me, the unintentional distraction is far more dangerous behind the wheel than the intentional.
We are still allowed to operate a motor vehicle and eat, drink, sing, listen to music, communicate hands-free with wireless devices, while possibly also entertaining passengers, all of which I am appreciative. And I am most thankful there will never be a law that can ban my ability to live within my own thoughts, driving or otherwise!
So, while the law can continue to implement bans in order to create the safest driving behaviors while behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, will they ever be able to develop a program that trains and teaches us to focus on just driving, allowing any unrelated distractions to quickly flee, for the entire duration of our travels?
Probably not, but it's a productive idea...at least in my point of view!
Safe travels :-)
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I'm inclined to agree with the premise of your post, though I tend to think that our government should merely enforce the laws currently on the books. Every state in this country has laws regarding Reckless Driving and it is typically at the discretion of the police officer to impose a citation.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that we need additional laws to restrict our behavior. As you mentioned, there are no laws that bar one from eating a burger while driving, which has to be a comparable distraction to cell phone usage while driving.
~ SD
I agree with your comment. I do not believe any distraction while driving is ok, but we all probably have at least one or two that we give in to. Part of my point is that if texting, talking, using a cell phone while driving is going to be illegal, there are a list of other equally distracting activities that should be considered. Now that the use of a cell phone while driving sans hands free is illegal, I believe it creates more opportunity for distraction. People do not want to be caught, so instead of keeping the phone in front of them at eye level with the road, they keep in down low to the side or in their lap where they have to take their eyes of the road entirely to complete the phone communciation. I am in complete favor of the ban...I just do not think it will be honored and instead will create more distraction leading to more potentially dangerous situations because we are worried about being caught.
ReplyDeleteFor me, I ask myself, while I am driving, can I do "x" activity and still give 100% attention to the safety of driving? If yes, then ok, if no, well, then there is my decision to make. Hopefully I choose to give 100% attention to my driving :-)
haha, was it me Brooke? I have a picture on fb of me driving, total outside sales rep thing snapping a picture of yourself while driving. I am pretty sure I was at a stop light though. I think......
ReplyDeleteNo Kelli, it wasn't you and I trust that you would only do such a thing when completely safe ;-) A lot of people do it but it just shocked me a little to see someone bragging about taking it while flying down a freeway and it got me thinking about all the things we do while driving except *just* driving.
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