The dangers of using a mobile phone while driving.

[AviatorTom]

We all see or hear public service announcements (PSAs) several times a day about the dangers of using a mobile phone for texting or talking while driving. Yet, many people still do it, not realizing the real danger to themselves and others it can cause.

This video describes a multi-vehicle crash on a motorway in Britain that resulted in the deaths of three people. Ultimately, a lorry (truck) driver was found to have been distracted, using his mobile phone, and plowed into several slow-moving vehicles. Three people died, including a couple in a car that was crushed by the lorry and then burned in an inferno. The injured included a 26-week pregnant woman who, fortunately, later gave birth to a healthy baby. The lorry driver, who has a wife and kids, was found guilty of Death by Dangerous Driving and is now in prison

It's a sad story ... one that we can all learn from.

If just one person stops texting and talking while driving, this post will have been worth it.

[exitseven]

I get really pissed at people when I see then screwing with their phones. Yesterday I sat at a red light behind some guy messing with the phone. I could see his head looking down and when the light turned green I waited 5 full seconds before I started leaning on the horn. The guy was pissed at me.

[exitseven]

Thanks for the MHO😎

[OlderAndWiser]

I talk on the phone - hands-free mode - while driving but absolutely no texting!

[AviatorTom]

Did you ever see the Mythbusters episode where they demonstrated that talking on the phone, even hands-free, is roughly equivalent to driving drunk, because your brain is concentrating on listening and talking, not on driving, resulting in slower reaction times?

[OlderAndWiser]

No, I didn't, but I would expect there to be some variability in those results. Is it different from listening to a car stereo?

[AviatorTom]

@OlderAndWiser It's not the same as listening to the stereo. The Mythbusters had the driver respond to questions on the phone that the driver had to think about, for example, simple math problems... what is 60 divided by 12? They found that the driver having to think while talking was a distraction from their driving, and they often hit cones and cardboard people, braked late, and made poor turns on the course they were driving.

[AviatorTom]

Here's a link to the Mythbusters episode
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vFcIpzF7pc

[OlderAndWiser]

I didn't see any hands free cell phone use in this video.

[purplepoppy]

Another problem, perhaps a bigger one, is pedestrians obsessed with staring at their phones and just stepping on to the road or even stopping half way to type something

[Daniela1982]

Not a good thing to be texting while driving, but I doubt anyone will listen. They just like doing their own thing - up to the very end.

[all_hayl]

People are idiots. People are experts at being selfish and impatient and doing whatever they want to do, even when they know better (which they usually do).
Everyone knows we shouldn’t tailgate, yet most people tailgate; everyone knows that we shouldn’t tell lies, yet people are expert liars (white lies are still lies); everyone knows that stealing and murder are wrong; everyone knows that laziness is unproductive, yet people are quite lazy; everyone knows that it’s best just to take responsibility, yet few people do; everyone knows that it’s best to follow the Golden Rule, yet people are selfish, ignorant, prideful, opinionated assholes (social media has shown us that much).

Need I say more?

[Ian69]

I haven’t much time for mobile phones, but yes I do have one in case my landline breaks down or if I’m out and about and I break down in the car. Also if my family needs to get hold of me in an emergency. If I have my phone with me while I’m driving it goes in to “car mode” so you can’t operate it. Other than that the damn thing is turned off.
I’m using an iPad to write this, just for the record.

[KrakenAttackin]

Several years ago the University of Utah did a study that showed 'distracted' driver's cause more injury/damage than drivers who have a blood alcohol content of 0.14 (almost 2x the legal limit in most states).

[Anonymous]

That is maddening. Causing accidents by being distracted by phones should fall under the same category as driving under the influence.

Need to make contact? Have the vehicle not moving! Or use those bluetooth speakers and microphone to talk while driving.

[Smallboobsgotohell]

How bout the danger of losing hair? People can't drive or walk becoz of ur shiny head