Distracted driving is one of those threats that many people may understand but that they seem to overlook anyway. Persons who have been able to text or talk on their cellphones consistently without being in an accident themselves may think that their own abilities are substantially better than those drivers around them. This creates an attitude wherein drivers look down their nose at persons they see on their cellphones even as they themselves engage in the practice.
This is unacceptable, and a new report explains why. The author, the administrator of Nebraska’s Office of Highway Safety, notes that persons who fall into this trap are being foolish and even arrogant. He does a good job explaining why all drivers must treat distracted driving as the serious hazard that it deserves to be perceived as.
The author relates his recent experience watching people playing a videogame. While impressed at what the players were able to accomplish within the game, he was alarmed to see how one player’s focus on the task in front of him was disrupted when that person decided to answer a ringing cellphone. Needless to say, the inattention caused him to lose the game.
On the road, though, you can’t simply hit restart. Drivers have to move past distracted driving, and they shouldn’t let a history of non-accidents cloud their judgment. All it takes is one incident to put you on the list of those negatively impacted by distraction, and understanding this fact is essential.