Driver Distractions

This subject matter has been on my mind a lot lately because of a new law - driving distractions.  I have decided that many things cause distractions, it's just that some are more noticeable than others.  Personally, I'm annoyed by the new law regarding cell phone use while driving.  What is next?


For instance, my daughter is always wanting to drive, and I am always telling her that even though she may believe she is a good driver (little too soon to tell), how would she be in an emergency situation?  For instance, she hates spiders.  They completely freak her out.  What if a spider were to drop down in her lap, what would she do if she were behind the wheel of a car?  Hmm.  This has happened to me a couple times, and although I am not super scared of spiders, I certainly don't like them and usually have some sort of knee-jerk reaction to having appear one in my lap.


Will spiders in cars be outlawed soon?


If you're like many folks these days, you may feel like you're on the go constantly.  I know we eat way too much on-the-go, but sometimes it is the only option if we're out and about.  Have you eaten a taco while driving?  I have many, many times.  Syd's tacos are the worst to eat in the car because they're so greasy (but oh, so good).  I cannot tell you how many times I have dropped the back end of a taco in my lap.  Should I eat a delicious, greasy Syd's taco while driving down the road?  No, probably not, but I must admit I do.


Will eating in cars be against the law next?


Who hasn't been driving down the road with their infant or toddler in the back seat strapped in...and they drop their pacifier, bottle, toy, etc?  I will say I have reached back into the backseat many times to grab something off the floorboard or hand my kids something, only to look back up and realize I have veered off the road.  It is not a good idea, no argument there.


Will they outlaw children in cars while their mothers are driving?


There are so many scenarios that I could come up with that distract me while I'm driving.  Just this morning, driving to work in wintry conditions, I was plugging along following the car in front of me, not having a bit of trouble...and I started daydreaming and went off the road a little bit...and I do mean just a little bit, just enough that my car made that funny sound.  I even laughed to myself because I wasn't texting, talking on the phone, reaching down to grab my fallen phone, picking my nose, getting chap stick out of my purse, putting on make-up or eating a taco.  I simply zoned out.


Will they make daydreaming while driving illegal in the near future?


I recently traded vehicles and now have this touch screen in my dash to control everything.  I'm somewhat comfortable with that screen and how to navigate around it now, but at the beginning, just trying to turn on my defrost could have caused me to crash.  There are some factory-set safety features that keep me from getting too carried away on that touch-screen, but seriously, as much as I love being able to check the weather map or search for the best fuel prices as I'm tooling down the road, it is very distracting.


How is talking on a cell phone more dangerous than that?


I get not texting while driving.  I'm not saying I have never been guilty of this, but I understand the distraction it causes entirely.  Do I think teenagers are capable of texting and driving down the road at the same time?  No, and adults aren't either.  It is dangerous.  No question.  End of story.  I'm not advocating for texting and driving to be legal. 


Lawmakers have decided that at sixteen years old, you are capable and responsible enough to have a driver's license.  Are we preparing our kids for that responsibility or are we going to rely on traffic laws to handle it?


I'm not suggesting driving laws are not necessary. What I am suggesting is that at some point you have to use common sense and take responsibility for your actions.  Dangerous actions often lead to serious and even deadly results.  And there are not enough laws in the land to cover every scenario that might cause an accident.  We must teach kids common sense and responsibility...and better yet, use it ourselves. 


Okay, I'll step off my soap box now...