Distracted Driving

Ever wonder how some people manage to get to work alive?

I drive/make deliveries for a living so I have let’s say a more unique view of the situation that most drivers on the road. 1. I am on the road a lot during my day of deliveries. and 2. I am higher up in the air than all the cars out there (which provides me with the ability to see much more than if I where just in a car). I see things that may be hidden from the average commuter. Just a few examples…

Every one knows about this one, the proverbial mobile beauty shop, (is it that important?).

Thinking of things best left for the bathroom…. What about flossing your teeth… yes I have seen it at least once during my forays out into the wide world.

Onto practical matters… Is texting or email so urgent that it can’t wait for a couple of miles until you get to work or a rest area, (somewhere that you are not moving). I don’t text with my phone never have and I don’t plan to. I have however taken notes or contact info on my IPod Touch…. Never said I was Perfect… Not a safe thing to do. I may feel more invulnerable than the puny cars I am surrounded by……. that said, I do not make a regular habit about it.

Some of the interesting things that have caught my attention are:

Texting/checking email

Reading; whether it be book or newspaper/magazines (yes i do mean those kind of magazines?)

Using a laptop in the lap of the driver or on the passenger seat

Eating of course

Changing directions on a GPS

A big pet peeve of mine is when people have there pets on there laps while driving, not in the back seat where they should be but sticking there heads out of the driver side window. The dogs get under the arms of the driver or the driver is petting or holding the animal…. you can’t move the animal fast enough in an emergency, because you don’t want to hurt the animal….

While I am on the subject of animals not being where they belong… he biggest annoyance is when I see parents who just let there children stand up or lean forward all he way (not seat belted. Are the parents that unconcerned with the safety of there children? okay off my soapbox.

The most common distractions are however cell phones and other hand held devices. With all these distraction I wish to coin a new phrase for police to put in their accident reports or traffic citations lets call it DWUIT- “Driving While Under the Influence of Technology”. or DUIT- “Driving Under the Influence of Technology”. I Think I like DWUIT better…It’s funnier to say.

So final thought is think about it the next time you get that itching in your fingers, or that need to read, or even if you fell like beautifying yourself think twice and then think again.

Thank You for your time

Jason