How many times do you look around and you are actively shocked at what you see other people doing as they drive down the road? I have pulled up next to people on the highway and it is clear they are driving along at 75 mph and playing on their phone! I know most of our roads are straight and flat out here in West Texas and New Mexico, but come on! It’s not that straight and flat. Maybe self-driving cars will eventually get so great we can actually do things like this safely someday, but that day isn’t today. Until then, safe driving means keeping your mind and focus on the road and what is going on around you.
Texas was ranked as the 17th worst state for phone-distracted drivers.
In fact, drivers are looking at their smartphones on 88 out of 100 trips.
“Distracted driving is unacceptable, and it’s something that is preventable,” said John Barton, TxDOT’s deputy executive director. “If you reply to or send a text while driving, you are putting your life or someone else’s life at risk.” Nothing is more important than safety, both for you and the people around you. Driving is one of the most dangerous things any of us will do in our lifetime, but we often do not treat it like a dangerous activity. We don’t take the care that we should and as a result people are hurt.
Only 2 Seconds
Many drivers who use their phones behind the wheel admit that they know it’s dangerous and are trying to break the habit, but simply can’t resist the temptation. It only takes 2-seconds for a driver who’s driving 55 mph to travel the distance of two basketball courts. How many people can you mow down in that time frame crossing that distance if you aren’t paying attention. These are the reasons why police departments continually stress the dangers of distracted driving.
Distracted driving is the new drunk driving, they both involve choices that can and have killed people. Please pay attention when you drive and if you have been hurt by someone who you think was engaging in distracted driving, we can help.