It is a regrettable sign of the times that even when drivers are behind the wheel of a moving vehicle, they are using all kinds of technological gadgets, dangerously distracting them from the important task at hand. Unfortunately, professional drivers aren't immune to these driving behaviors as recent national headlines have informed us.
Text-Messaging
One very dangerous habit increasingly used is text messaging from a cell phone. With eyes off the road and hands not gripping the steering wheel for several seconds at a time, the risk of a vehicle accident increases by 50% according to a study by the American Automobile Association (AAA).
Almost two dozen states and the District of Columbia have laws banning some form of Driving While Texting (DWT). Massachusetts train, street car and bus drivers cannot carry a phone on the job and the Commonwealth set up a hotline in case of family emergency. But the bans don't matter to some drivers. According to a study by software developer Vingo, 26% of all cell phone users admit to DWT. Almost 60% of texters 15-19 years of age admit to DWT, up from 54% one year ago. With inexperienced drivers taking their eyes off the road to text message, the dangers of distracted drivers are seriously compounded.
Smile For The Camera!
No matter where you go, someone has a camera, and with the proliferation of internet video sites, the next Spielberg can't wait to post a masterpiece. Cameras make everyone on the road a critic, sometimes rightly so. One recent case that gained national attention was of a motorcoach driver's careless behavior unknowingly caught on a passenger's phone camera. The video showed the driver using his cell phone, eating and doing paperwork. The concerned passenger sent the video to YouTube and a link to the driver's company.
Big Brother
Is Big Brother watching? Assume it is so. Besides the ever-present camera phones, drivers are being watched with roadside mounted cameras and video event recorders. Roadside cameras are capturing driving offenses like speeding, red-light running, sudden lane changes and tailgating. Traffic officials can catch your dangerous driving with photos and video to back up their case. They justify the cameras with statistics indicating a reduction in speeding and red light running.
Video event recorders are increasingly being installed in commercial vehicles and can capture what takes place in front of the vehicle, a full view of the driver, what happens on the side and events to the rear. While certainly not as sophisticated as commercial vehicle models, similar devices are being marketed to the consumer at relatively low prices adding to the many cameras on the road. Be aware and drive carefully - not just because you might end up on camera, but because it is your responsibility to always drive in the safest possible way.
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