I have taken pride in the past in considering myself to be a very mellow driver. I’m not a road rage advocate, I don’t like to use my horn, unless it is a light tap to let someone kindly know that the light in front of them which they were supposed to be watching oh so vigilantly has changed to another color.
You can probably tell by the passive aggressiveness in that last sentence my standing on the matter has changed. The number one culprit, cellphone usage while driving! In the era of smart phones, iWatches, Google glasses and the need to feel constantly connected to the world at all times, it should come as no surprise that using such devices while driving has become a colossal issue. Now, I will not exclude myself from the masses. I will admit that I too am guilty at times of texting or trying to use a device while driving. However, after experiencing how irritating it is to drive behind someone who for three miles who is constantly texting and going below the speed limit. (Let the records show that the speed limit was 25 mph.) I have limited my device usage to red lights, stops or just a simple “Hey Siri, what does my new text message say?” As I feel the rest of the community should do at a minimum.
The National Safety Council (NSC) reports that cellphone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year and nearly 330,000 injuries. In Massachusetts, the law for cellphones and texting while driving prohibits school bus drivers and novice drivers (drivers 18 or younger) from using the device to either text or talk. All other drivers are only prohibited from texting while driving. Now that is not to say that talking is not as distracting as texting, studies actually show it may be equally as distracting or if not more, something about the human brain not being designed to multi-task. So when you get in a car whether you are the driver or passenger either make a wise choice to not text/ talk and drive at the same time or if you’re a passenger speak up about the unwise decision your friend is making. I mean after all you are in danger as well if something where to happen, so don’t be shy. Driving is a privilege not a right.
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