Distracted Motorists Drive Me Crazy

Friday, October 2, 2009

Page 11

AT THE SIDEBAR (Column)

Distracted Motorists Drive Me Crazy

By J’AMY PACHECO

I’ve seen a lot of crazy things on the road.

I guess that’s what happens when you live in the middle of nowhere—everything is a freeway drive away. Those freeways tend to be populated by people who apparently believe themselves to be invincible behind the wheel.

One of the most memorable moments in my life on the road was when a young guy decided to cross the freeway from right to left in a giant earthmoving machine. He obviously knew traffic was headed toward him at 70 miles per hour, because he was looking straight at all of us.

Instinct made everybody veer left to try to avoid the oncoming behemoth machine and its driver. Frantically, he waved for everybody to go right instead, to pass behind him.

It’s a miracle nobody hit him, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget the sight of that giant yellow machine coming at me.

Close to the holidays one year, I came up behind a line of slow-moving traffic in the fast lane. I knew the fully-loaded cars were together, because they all had matching out-of-state license plates and identical ribbons tied to their vehicles. Their drivers all shared the same look of terror as they gripped their steering wheels and endured the single-digit gestures, honks and shouts of angry motorists forced to pass them in the lanes designated for slower traffic.

It appeared the group of cars was caravanning, probably to a holiday celebration somewhere. I felt a little bit sorry for them, but couldn’t help wondering why in the heck they didn’t move out of the fast lane if they intended to drive 15 miles under the speed limit. Maybe it’s a California thing.

It never ceases to amaze me when I observe the things people do while in control of several thousand pounds of fast-moving metal.

I’ve seen people “drive” while eating, changing clothes, applying makeup, arguing, singing, reading, nursing a baby and most common of all—talking on a cellular phone.

I’ve seen people pass normally-moving traffic on the right-hand shoulder, in the breakdown lane of the freeway, and once—to my utter disbelief—between two vehicles traveling side-by-side in adjacent lanes. Since one of those vehicles contained my best friend and her family, that one nearly did me in.

I was happy to learn that a federal summit was called this week to discuss the issue of distracted drivers and the harm they do to others.

Victims’ stories are heart-wrenching—the man who told of his mother’s death after being struck by a car driven by a woman who was applying nail polish; the man whose pre-teen son was killed when his car was broadsided by a driver distracted by a cell phone conversation.

A study released in July by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute indicated that in cars, drivers talking on cell phones are 1.3 times more likely to crash than drivers who are actually focused on their driving. Drivers dialing their cell phones are 2.9 times more likely to crash.

The risk goes up in trucks. According to the study, drivers of heavy vehicles are 5.9 times more likely to crash while dialing a cell phone, 6.7 times more likely to crash while using or reaching for an electronic device—and 23.2 times more likely to crash while text-messaging.

Given the frequency with which my daughter’s generation uses text messaging on a daily basis, I strongly support efforts to crack down on distracted drivers.

I’d vote for making it illegal to text message—or even talk on the phone in a non-emergency situation—while driving. In my opinion, getting a $25 ticket isn’t enough of a deterrent when people choose to place a conversation over human life.

I’m sure very few people look at it that way. I know people who refuse to get a hands-free device and who continue to talk on their cell phones while driving.

I have a hands-free device, but I rarely use it. I just don’t answer my phone until I’m parked, unless my daughter is with me to intercept the call.

I’d like to see severe consequences for people who harm others by driving while distracted. I don’t care if it’s talking, texting, nursing, reading, putting on makeup, or anything else—I just don’t want to lose my life or a loved one to somebody who thought it was okay to paint their nails while driving.

The near-miss with the earthmover was scary—but at least I saw that one coming.