13 Responses to “Distracted driving: Drop that chili dog!”

1. JM Says:
   August 13th, 2009 at 11:52 am

   Eating on the road is an unnecessary distraction when driving but there are several other serious distractions I see on a daily basis. We’ve already seen the studies that show requiring drivers to use hands free devices while driving does not decrease the risk of talking on the phone. Having a headset on does not stop a driver from becoming too involved and distracted by their conversation. Some people can’t even have a conversation with a person in their passenger seat without becoming too distracted. I see people shaving, putting on makeup, reading the newspaper, etc., etc., etc. One of the most confusing things to me is that I can be cited for holding my cell phone while I drive but it’s ok for the lady next to me to have her dog climbing and jumping all over the car, hanging out of the drivers side window. Eating while driving seems like one of the least distracting things on the road but it depends on the drivers ability to not allow it to become a distraction.

2. Rich Says:
   August 17th, 2009 at 9:27 am

   I think this is a very rational possesion to take. As a retired Highway Patrolman and a 15 year Safety Professional, I have investigated several needless accidents, as the result of the driver being distracted from the driving task because he/she was either eating or drinking while driving.

   Currently we have a policy addressing this behavior.

3. A Loud American Says:
   August 17th, 2009 at 10:44 am

   Don’t get me wrong, daily I’m amazed at the number of people out there yappin’ away on their cell phones while driving, and I reflect back on the push to outlaw same. And now it’s even been determined that “hands-free” cell use has been found to be just as distracting to drivers. And now their goin’ after food? So I guess now, the only logical next step will be to outlaw the use of the car radio while driving since I also notice many drivers jamming away to their favorite tunes while driving distracting them from the duty at hand. This is really getting out of hand. But, America…you get the government that you ask for. But just an additional thought for Rich the retired patrolman. How do you folks stay so focused on operating your vehicles while sipping coffee, trying to operate a laptop, work the radio and race around at high rates of speed? Just curious.
   I guess the cell phone business doesn’t have enough lobbyists on the Hill to make a difference.

4. Judy Attebery Says:
   August 17th, 2009 at 11:29 am

   Cell phone use while driving is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg on the issue of distracted driving. Some of the other comments have hit on some other types of distracted driving so I won’t reiterate. I am not an advocate of Big Brother governing everything we do. We cannot and should not legislate every part of our lives, even if it indicates it is to save lives and money (the latter is hard to prove since more legislation means someone needs to manage it). Perhaps a better way to address distracted driving is through higher penalties, such as higher dollar fines, when this is a factor in an accident. Perhaps a police officer should be able to give a ticket to someone he/she observes under distracted driving conditions (of course, would be another opportunity for lawyers). Although not a smoker, I think legislating where and when smokers cannot smoke is in this same vein as distracted driving and we should not have gone there. People need to be responsible for their behavior, but not always because of a government rule.

5. Ernie Says:
   August 17th, 2009 at 12:29 pm

   Anything that distracts the driver from performing the task at hand should be avoided. the Cell Phone and texting device in my mind far exceeds anything else in how dangerous it is to operate while operating a motor vehicle of any kind. If not all I would say the vast majority of everyone reading this drink a beverage on the way to or from work daily and most have a snack. As long as we have drive through places to get Food there will be eating on the road. As far a communication devices I have no idea how we survived before we had cell phones and computers!?!?!? We are all so important that we have to be in touch every minute. It is odd how people think just because the phone is ringing they have to answer it. I personally have the phone for my convinience not the person that is calling me.

6. Rich Says:
   August 17th, 2009 at 2:59 pm

   Regardless of the cause of the distraction, a vehicle will travel the same distance, when the driver’s attention if diverted from driving. A simple rule to remember for “feet per second” (fps) is the speedometer times 1.5 (actually it is 1.467), but for conversation sake 1.5 works and is easier to calculate. Now with respect to reaction time in relation to fps, based upon average reaction time of 3/4 of a second, but realistically reaction time is more like 1 second, the 3/4 second standard is speed times 1.1 or and easier way to remember this is take the first number of the speed and add it to the speedometer reading i.e. 55 mph = 55 + 5 = 60 feet of reaction time distance.

   Hopefully this information will assist you in selling the need to eliminate those actions that distract the from doing his/her job of driving.

7. Kevin Johnson Says:
   August 17th, 2009 at 4:18 pm

   A vehicle moving at a rate of speed of 60 miles an hour travels 88 feet per second, at that rate of
   speed even a good driver can not afford to become distracted. One of the worst trends to hit the roadway is young people texting to there friends. It takes 2 hands to do that what is left to steer the car? People need to understand and take responsibility for there actions behind the wheel of a car.

8. Walter Says:
   August 18th, 2009 at 10:25 am

   I know that this issue is coming up alot lately, but no one is saying anything about Police officers in their police cruisers who drive while on cell phones, use computers/lap tops while driving, and even drive on HOV lanes while flying solo(not on emergency calls), and from time to time you see one eating while driving. I know that police officers are out there putting their lives on the line for the protection of the citicens, but are they “above the law”?

9. Safety Mike Says:
   August 24th, 2009 at 4:57 pm

   Wow! I just tried to take the texting test (http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/07/19/technology/20090719-driving-game.html?nl=technology&emc=techupdateemb2) from the NY Times. Keyword being tried! I hit about 25 gates and didn’t even reply to the first message. I don’t know how people do it. I do know that they are risking my life when they do! This little test can be eye opening. We preach distracted driving as a major cause of accidents (along with agressive driving) to all of our safety classes. I wish that the Highway Patrol would take more of a “lead by example” attitude instead of “Do as I say, not as I do”. One question that comes to mind is what did we do before cell phones? As I remember, we found a phone booth, made our call and got back to driving. We all survived, didn’t we?

10. James Says:
    August 25th, 2009 at 7:29 am

    The fact is some people can’t even walk & chew bubble gum at the same time. These are the ones who should be affected or violated by this law. Maybe there should be some kind of testing to identify these people a sort of multitasking while driving test. ps. I drink soda or coffee, eat, talk on my cell phone, & flip through paperwork every day on the road for the past 15+ years without problems while traveling long distances and yes there were some close calls but all were diverted and I don’t believe I had more close calls when I was multitasking as compared to when I was not .

11. Safety Mike Says:
    August 27th, 2009 at 10:46 am

    James: I agree with you when you say that some people can’t walk and chew gum at the same time…other than that, NO. Why do a lot of people think that they are “better than the average bear” or that they are the exception to the rule? More testing.. who would be qualified to make that determination? Another level of rules (government) is not needed. All testing, surveys and studies indicate that distracted or innatentive driving is dangerous! People who break the rules should have to suffer the concequences. I have been driving for 35 years (over 1 million miles logged, no accidents). Two months ago I had my truck totalled out from under me by a driver who was talking on the phone, drifted into my lane and clipped me in the right rear quarter panel. I bet she thought it was ok for her to do, that she was better than the rest. I would tend to disagree. If you have had 15 years of good fortune, great. Sometimes its better to be lucky than good.

12. Anne-Marie Says:
    January 21st, 2010 at 3:30 pm

    I tried the test…… big fail. I am pleased to say that I have tried to text while driving my car and found it impossible for me so i havent tried again! It was very difficult for me. maybe because im 37 and not a teenager but i sure wish they cold make cell phones that where unable to text while driving, like some kinda signal a running car sends out that makes the cell phone texting unusable. I have 4 teenagers and I know that they text and drive and it seemslike im always worrying that im going to get a call about an accident!! Scary stuff.

13. jason Says:
    August 25th, 2010 at 1:01 pm

    In a rare act of common sense the state I live in has not banned the use of cell phones; instead they have made the act of distracted driving the punishable offense. I drive about 3 hr per day. In that time a large percentage of the people I see are on cell phones. Proportionately very few of those people are driving any worse than anyone else on the road. I see a large amount of distracted drivers and they are just as likely to be doing any number of things; eating, rocking to music , reading, talking to the passenger, makeup and hair, clipping fingernails, reaching over seats, moving the dog, even sexual activity, yes I’ve seen it all.
    Yes cell phones and texting are a distraction on the road, too bad, so are many things besides cell phones. The issue is people who think they are not responsible for getting their car safely down the road. If you use a cell phone and become distracted your distraction is the danger, so that should be the punishable offense. If we ban cell phones people will just find something else be distracted by. Situational awareness is something I harp on in all training sessions. Keeping yourself aware and focused is one of the hardest parts of driving for most people. This is the issue not what form the distraction takes. The reason we do not let truck drivers drive longer than 10hrs. is that as you get more tired you lose focus more easily. Our roads keep getting faster and more crowded. A lot of drivers are not qualified for the road conditions they drive on. This is the issue not what form the distraction takes.
    For anybody who is wondering I have never and will never pick up my cell phone when I drive.