April: Distracted Driving Awareness Month

[xHoneyxBeex]

April is distracted driving awareness month so I thought I would take this time to talk about distracted driving, share some facts, and promote safety on the roads.

Distracted driving is any activity that could divert the drivers attention away from the primary task of driving. Distracted driving includes things such as:

• Texting


• Talking on the phone


• Eating or drinking


• Talking to passengers


• Using a navigation system


• Adjusting the radio

This is the leading cause of death among American teenagers. When it comes to distracted driving, teens are the most likely to text and talk while driving. Many teens will say they don't think texting and driving is a big deal. We all seem to have this "it won't happen to me" mindset which is an incredibly dangerous mindset to have sometimes. Texting while driving takes away the drivers' visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the road.

Some statistics:

• In 2013, 3,154 people in America were killed in motor vehicle crashes involv­ing distracted drivers.


• 10% of drivers of all ages under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash.


• A quarter of teens respond to a text message once or more every time they drive.


• 20 percent of teens and 10 percent of parents admit that they have extended, multi-message text conversations while driving.


• 5 seconds is the minimum amount of time a person's eyes are taken from the road while texting.


• Texting while driving makes a person 24 times more likely to be involved in an accident.

I will admit, I have texted while driving before. I never realized the dangers of this simple action until I came face-to-face with the harsh realities of distracted driving. I have one friend who died in a car accident because she was texting. She ran off the road, overcorrected, and the vehicle flipped. Another friend of mine was in a coma for 2 months because of a car accident due to distracted driving. She lived, but it took months for her to fully recover. She wasn't paying attention, ran off of the road, and hit a tree. The dangers are real and it can happen to anyone. This is why it's so important to drive safely and keep your attention on the road at all times.

If you're a passenger in a vehicle and the driver is texting or otherwise distracted, please speak up and tell them to turn their attention back to the road. It's important not only for your own life, but for the lives and wellbeing of others.

Sources:

https://www.nsc.org/learn/NSC-Initiatives/Pages/distracted-driving-awareness-month.aspx

https://www.distraction.gov/take-action/teens.html

[BertMacklinFBI]

another good reason people should ride motorcycles more often, its near impossible to text and ride. sure you will find a way if you are that committed but its highly unlikely.

shitty drivers who decide to text on public roads are my biggest fucking irks in society. I"m filming them on my GoPro to amke a compilation video of idiots to post on YouTube. I think April is the month where CHP will ticket anyone not using a hands-free device or on their phone while driving, instantly. NO warning, its just an automatic ticket. My friend got one for like $350, the officer said he can't do anything, he must issue this ticket. Sadly though, no matter how many traffic fines a person gets, it will not change their habits until they cost the lives of another. I have 1 friend who has totaled 2 cars and 1 truck so far all because of texting. He's a fucking idiot. People are just so retarded, can't rely on them for your own safety, it sucks and it sucks even more when something tragic in life has to occur for them to realize the error of their ways. I appreciate you posting this Take and video, I hope it reaches through to people who already text and drive, because its such a shitty thing for 1 person to lose their entire life because you couldn't fucking keep your hands off of your fucking phone. People who text usually do it at lower speeds around 40 mph, they feel okay doing it because at lower speeds they have more reaction time to react to sudden hazards they approach, its such a bad habit and at higher speeds you're seriously fucked, no reaction time, you're just fucked.

and I actually have seen people "claim" they are good "texters that drive" at the same time, well a shout out to whoever claims this, you're all fucking retarded. The moment texting then your eyes and focus are obviously not on the road, you're not skilled, you are just fucking damn lucky, but your luck is running out.

[xHoneyxBeex]

Yeah, I completely agree. A lot of people do claim that they're good at multitasking and can text and drive but no matter how good someone "thinks" they are, taking your hands and eyes off of the road is dangerous, things can happen in a split second. And it's really sad because I hear on the news all the time about people my age who have lost their lives to distracted driving, and it's just not worth it.

[Anon-ee-mous]

Not to mention that riding a motorcycle is like an idiot magnet. That's one thing I learned very quick when I started riding: when you have to watch out for yourself AND everyone else around you because you lose 100% of every collision... the idiots just seem more numerous lol

[Hannah591]

It's illegal to use your phone in the UK now, yet people still do it and police officers sometimes do, so they're lenient on those who do use their phones whilst driving. I only ever text when I'm going to college, stuck in traffic at a total stop, to tell my friend I'll be late. I see people around me though, looking at their phone every time they stop. I don't know how people go on their phone's whilst driving seeing as we all mainly drive manual. When you're on the phone, that takes a large amount of your attention - to listen, think of an answer and respond accordingly and in good time.
People are so addicted to their phone's they can't just put it down to drive safely! It's also annoying because whilst they're distracted on their phones, they take a while to drive off when the car in front moves and that really bugs me. I want to shout "get off your phone!".

[xHoneyxBeex]

Yeah, it's illegal in most states here too but people still do it all the time. It's really unsafe and I've seen drivers swerving back and forth on the road and when I go to pass them, I look over and sure enough, they're on their phone.

[Hannah591]

Oh I know, I see some people driving terribly and sometimes, they're not even distracted! I hate bad drivers.

[xHoneyxBeex]

haha yeah, definitely. I probably swear the most when I'm driving just because other drivers annoy me so much sometimes. Lol

[CincinnatiRedsfan]

I don't agree that teenagers are the most likely to text and drive (solely.) I think young adults (people in their 20's) are just as likely to text and drive. I don't care what "statistics" say, most of them are false, biased or misleading anyway.

I think distracted driving is a big issue in general though. You always hear about "driving under the influence" as a big problem but that's not NEAR as common as it used to be (and that is more of a middle-aged problem.)

The problem is, many people don't think distracted driving is a problem.

[Miphee]

There are so many ignorant drivers out there it's crazy. I think they would use their phones even if it was punishable by death. And who texts nowadays anyway? It's nice that there is a Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the problem is that these assholes won't be the ones reading this because they are at the intellectual level of a moth. Low fines also contribute to this problem, most of these people can afford the fine out of their pocket.
There is a law in one of the European countries (I believe Finland) where the fine is personalized. If you are rich you pay a lot, if poor you pay less (but there is a minimum fine). The point system should also be revised to take distracted driving more seriously.

[TadCurious]

Thank you for writing this. It's common for teenagers to think they're invincible. A car being driven by a person who is texting is a loaded weapon.

[xHoneyxBeex]

I completely agree. It's sad and like I said, most teens have the "it will never happen to me" mentality.

[Octavion]

As long as they're the person that gets killed if they get in a crash with someone else and not that other innocent person then I really don't care. I feel they need to be taken out of the equation to save other innocent lives. People like that don't learn lessons. Even if they killed someone else after a few months at most a couple of years they'd get over killing someone else and go back to their bad habits.

[doctorwhofan23]

That almost looks like you imply that some people deserve to die.

[Octavion]

I don't want people to die but if someone does I want it to be the person that is knowingly risking the lives of other innocents. They themselves are not innocent. They don't deserve death for their crime but someone will die if they keep it up so it needs to be them.

[YourFutureEx]

Thanks for your goodly and kind effort to provide cognizance to the users :)))

While I'm honoured by realising that I'm not a perpetrator of distracted driving, I'm guilty of not wearing seat belts.

Anyway, great work once again!

[xHoneyxBeex]

Yeah, I always make sure to wear my seatbelt, I guess that's just one good habit I have. Haha And thank you :)

[Anonymous]

And here's another one of a bunch of dumb shits distracted and running off the road/wrecking:

abcnews.go.com/.../shocking-videos-show-teen-drivers-moments-crash-29917238

I got into an argument with some chick on here that posted some stupid video question on here while she was in her car. Everyone called her out on it, but she got embarrassed and/or took it personally. She became a diva about it saying "I can handle it" (talking about messing with her phone in the car).

It's like... ugh, I don't know. People are so stupid and selfish, but also too proud to have any sense talked into them. So unfortunately, this kind of stuff is just going to keep on happening because people "know too much".

[Johnson123]

READ THIS EVERYONE: If you don't want your friend or even maybe kid to text and drive... buy him or her a car that is MANUAL. thank you :D

But really be safe out there guys and gals, don't use those touch screens either, me and my friend almost got killed cause he kept looking at the damn thing.

[front2back]

Don't be like this guy:

https://youtu.be/HI2S1xfYFqk

[Hannah591]

I hope the guy recording, reported him. If you have that much to do, you should do it before you drive.

[akadatank44]

This is good! I do everything on the list except use my phone lol

[xHoneyxBeex]

lol well at least you don't do that then because that's probably one of the most dangerous ones on the list :)

[akadatank44]

Haha true. I don't know how someone could not talk to passengers. That would be the most awkward drive lol

[xHoneyxBeex]

It's not just talking, but some people stop looking at the road and turn to look AT the passenger which I think is what causes the problem.

[akadatank44]

Oh yeah I gotcha.

[HeyJustBeingMe]

your a fool when you dext-n-trive. nuff said.
accidents happen in both MANUAL and NON-MANUAL cars.
stop the madness and act responsible.

[Outofthegrey]

I just use the massive asshole method. If you see somebody doing that, honk at them till they stop. It is effective 90% of the time.

[HeyJustBeingMe]

too bad i can't because my country has a new rule; when you horn for NO GOOD reason (that is: when no danger effects you and other drivers behind and in front of you), you'll get a fine of 300 bucks when caught. INCLUDING when you horn to someone thats texting and driving.
its the police's job to do that work.

[doctorwhofan23]

Nice take to raise awareness for something people might not think about.

[KDA20]

Good take - I don't be in a car that much but will bear it in mind when I am.

[abundantlyrich]

We live in a fast paced world. I had to multi task a few times while driving.

[Jakesusername]

I saw a guy reading a book and driving once. He ended up crashing into a bridge and killing himself.

[DarkHumorRUs]

What if I'm reading this while driving.

[muspelhem_5]

Another is ogling hot pedestrians.

[ArabianPwincess197]

Thanks for this

[COCOCHANEL]

this is a serious issue