The Virginian-Pilot
©
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has declared today to be Distracted Driving Awareness Day, state police said.
A study of crashes by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-misses involved drivers being distracted within three seconds of the crash, according to a news release from state police.
They also were reminding motorists that a new law banning texting while driving will take effect on July 1.
Drivers also can be distracted by activities such as eating, reaching for items, personal grooming, or any other action that takes a motorist’s eyes off the road, the release says.
Several agencies are promoting Distracted Driving Awareness Day, including Drive Smart Virginia, the Department of Motor Vehicles’ Virginia Highway Safety Office and AAA.
For more information, go to www.drivesmartva.org.
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
Erratic driving
It all depends on how a person defines erratic driving. People weaving in and out of traffic would fit the definition. People who don't stick to their own lanes or hug one of the lane marker lines are a would also. People who speed up then slow down and bounce around in lanes - a problem. People driving in cities are notorious for following too closely. It would be an easy rule to enforce too by the spacing rule every one is taught at one time or another.
There are reasons for erratic driving. Quite often it is because people are distracted by eating, talking on cellphones, changing radio stations, checking on babies in the backseat, primping while driving . . . a whole list of reasons. Then there are those who have depth perception problems and won't acknowledge they shouldn't be on the road in the first place. People who regularly speed and of course, those who are driving under the influence. People who are driving erratically should be pulled over immediately and possibly charged with reckless driving. Call it 'preventative highway medicine.'
I don't think erratic is the problem
I don't see erratic driving as the primary issue. The highway wrecks always seem to be someone not paying attention and not seeing traffic stopped ahead. Following too close adds to the that, and they don't ticket for that either.
Ban Cell Phones
Texting law is not good enough. People who run their mough on a cell phone while driving, are a threat to every other driver on the highway.
We need a law that bans cell phone while driving, but we can't seem to get it passed. How many people have to die becaue of these rude drivers?
“The police DO pull over
“The police DO pull over people they see driving erratically. The problem is, they have to see them doing it.”
That would demand the police being in a position to witness the behavior and as someone whose average weekly commute is a little over 650 miles, it isn’t happening. Enforcing any of the myriad of traffic laws requires a police presence... if they aren’t there, they cannot see it happen.
Talk to the police
The police DO pull over people they see driving erratically. The problem is, they have to see them doing it. As the article says, with accidents being caused by people being distracted for as little as three seconds, that's rather tough to do. Passing laws stopping people from texting and talking on cellphones sounds nice - but people will still do those activities - until they get caught, much like speeding and driving in HOV lanes. The only time people will get caught are when they are seen talking on the phone or after accidents - that is IF they are willing to admit they were talking on the phone when it happened, which I seriously doubt anyone is going to be willing to do if they know it will mean a higher fine or harm their insurance rates. This is a tough issue to deal with.
TO TARFU
TARFU....I would take the mirror to a auto parts store is see if they can determine what type of vehicle it came from. Then if you see a car like that with a missing mirror, you may be able to get the plate number and report it to the police. The car will most likely drive by your house again.
I remember when my only driver distraction
was a well-endowed blonde in a tank top going past me in a convertible.
Now, it's every third driver, yakking away on a cell phone, or, even better, squinting at the screen while trying to google "Paris Hilton naked" or the lastest weather report.
I think it's the height of hypocrisy, when the same legislature and governor, who tiptoed past the subject of cell phones while driving, now proclaim "distracted driver awareness day".
What's next...."Concealed Carry in Restaurants Appreciation Day"?
Idiots. I wish all those yahoos in Richmond had a "one term and out" rule, not just the governor. Maybe we'd start getting some real work done up there.
Distracted Driving Law
They will make a law against distracted driving only if they can profit from it. Otherwise, it will largely be ignored or trumpeted in a rather light-hearted fashion as “Distracted Driving Awareness Day.” The main goal, rather than correct the behavior through stricter licensing standards, is to make as much money as possible. They’ll do this by keeping the fines just low enough so you won’t go to court, but not high enough to curtail the behavior. The red light cameras are a perfect example of this. If they can’t find a way to profit, you can expect nothing to be done, other than what’s being done now with their “awareness day.” With the number of wrecks lately, I think we’re all “aware” of distracted driving.
re: 80 Percent
EvanJ wrote:
>>>So, 80 percent are caused by driver distraction yet no one is willing to pass a law to start pulling people over that are driving dangerously.<<<
I read somewhere that our Commonwealth's lawmakers won't touch this as it would preclude from doing business on the road.
I wonder how many of these career politicians did business 25 years ago?
Figures . . .
Distracted Driver Awareness Day and I woke up this morning only to find out that someone hit my van that was parked in front of my house early this morning. I guess the driver was distracted. (By-the-way, if you want your mirror back, you left it at my place)