The holidays represent a time with family and friends and unfortunately for some that also means driving from one location to another. Law enforcement knows that the chance that we will be out and behind the wheel when we have had a little too much to drink is much greater around holidays. The police call on extra staff in the hopes to curb bad behavior and save lives. But are we not in need of this protection on a day to day basis with all that we do while tearing down the highways?
The average vehicle has a cell phone, a stereo system of some sort and talking GPS system on board. For those more talented, you can change a shirt, read the latest stock quotes on your smart phone or finish that argument that your partner started as you were walking out the door. These distractions are in addition to merging traffic, construction work and the passing thunderstorm.
The only laws that have been passed that fall under the category of a distraction is the law prohibiting the use of hand-held phones and most states do not allowing texting while driving. Breaking these laws does not come close to having the same repercussions that are enforced for drunk driving. For the first offense of driving while texting is a fine for $25 to $50 opposed to the fines, loss of driving privileges, mandatory classes about drunk driving and possible jail time that imposed for the first offense of driving drunk.
Regardless of what the activity we were engaged in, we are just as "impaired" as those that are driving drunk. There is the sense that we are in control and fully aware of what is going on in the road in front of us because we are not in an altered state. Since we spend a lot time in our vehicles, some of us feel well skilled in the art of multi-tasking behind the wheel.
It only takes a moment for the car in front of you to suddenly decide to make a right hand turn, complete without the benefit of a turn signal, or for that child to step out from behind a vehicle. As our population grows, our roads become more congested and it is not uncommon to sit in traffic for several hours because of road construction. Some people feel that they cannot go that long without being connected to the office or their family and maybe they actually cannot. But is it acceptable at the expense of others?
The judicial system is slow to catch up with today's technology. Texting and hand-held cell phones are a no-no while driving but there not any laws that prohibit people from eating, putting on make-up or perusing the internet on our smart phone. The number of drunken driving incidents has gone down because the laws are unbending and not really open too much interpretation.
Even though it is illegal to drive while texting in many states, not many tickets are being handed out to those in violation. Texting is too hard to prove, unless it is blatant. Blatant as in both arms resting on top of the steering wheel and texting with both hands. There too many other activities that can be mistaken as texting.
Whether it is drunk driving or driving while distracted, we are all operating vehicles that weigh in around 2000 pounds at legal speeds of up to 75 miles per hour. Does it really matter what we were doing when we have put other lives at risk for the sake of having too good of a time at the local pub or the quick text to the wife to find out what's for dinner?
The average vehicle has a cell phone, a stereo system of some sort and talking GPS system on board. For those more talented, you can change a shirt, read the latest stock quotes on your smart phone or finish that argument that your partner started as you were walking out the door. These distractions are in addition to merging traffic, construction work and the passing thunderstorm.
The only laws that have been passed that fall under the category of a distraction is the law prohibiting the use of hand-held phones and most states do not allowing texting while driving. Breaking these laws does not come close to having the same repercussions that are enforced for drunk driving. For the first offense of driving while texting is a fine for $25 to $50 opposed to the fines, loss of driving privileges, mandatory classes about drunk driving and possible jail time that imposed for the first offense of driving drunk.
Regardless of what the activity we were engaged in, we are just as "impaired" as those that are driving drunk. There is the sense that we are in control and fully aware of what is going on in the road in front of us because we are not in an altered state. Since we spend a lot time in our vehicles, some of us feel well skilled in the art of multi-tasking behind the wheel.
It only takes a moment for the car in front of you to suddenly decide to make a right hand turn, complete without the benefit of a turn signal, or for that child to step out from behind a vehicle. As our population grows, our roads become more congested and it is not uncommon to sit in traffic for several hours because of road construction. Some people feel that they cannot go that long without being connected to the office or their family and maybe they actually cannot. But is it acceptable at the expense of others?
The judicial system is slow to catch up with today's technology. Texting and hand-held cell phones are a no-no while driving but there not any laws that prohibit people from eating, putting on make-up or perusing the internet on our smart phone. The number of drunken driving incidents has gone down because the laws are unbending and not really open too much interpretation.
Even though it is illegal to drive while texting in many states, not many tickets are being handed out to those in violation. Texting is too hard to prove, unless it is blatant. Blatant as in both arms resting on top of the steering wheel and texting with both hands. There too many other activities that can be mistaken as texting.
Whether it is drunk driving or driving while distracted, we are all operating vehicles that weigh in around 2000 pounds at legal speeds of up to 75 miles per hour. Does it really matter what we were doing when we have put other lives at risk for the sake of having too good of a time at the local pub or the quick text to the wife to find out what's for dinner?
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