Thursday, April 29, 2010

Distracted Driving Discussion Continues to Grow

I want to applaud Oprah’s Dnt TXT N Drv Op-Ed piece in the New York Times, and commend her for drawing the public’s attention to this unsafe and increasingly common behavior. Distracted driving is now one of the most discussed public safety issues in America thanks to the Distracted Driving Summit hosted by the U.S. DOT and Secretary Ray LaHood last September. The issue has vaulted to the top of many legislative agendas and now 23 states and the District of Columbia have banned texted while driving with more states expected to follow in 2010. Though AAA Foundation research shows the public is aware of the dangers involved with using cell phones while driving, many continue to do so on a regular basis, risking their lives, and ours, every time they pick up their phone. This disconnect between behavior and knowledge is one that we as a society must try to overcome.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

In this day and age where everyone feels they need to be "connected" every second of the day, it's important to remember that just one distraction could mean serious injury or death to yourself or others. Put down those phones and think of it as a break from the pressure. A time to be alone with your thoughts and to focus on your primary responsibility: THE ROAD.

http://www.BESTtrafficschool.com

mw said...

People really need to pay more attention to the road to avoid car accidents and avoid injury themselves or others

Unknown said...

In the Washington DC area of the US, it seems that everything to control traffic has been tried. Signs of all type, traffic circles, speed tables, etc. to various affects on traffic, pedestrians, and businesses. Now the new trend is traffic cameras, and un-marked cars. However, it seems to me that the red queen effect is always the dominant stakeholder. (You have to run fast just to stay in the same place). People are smart, crafty, and resistant to control. The question, in my view, is there some fundamental error in the design of traffic control systems that engenders such solid resistance? As a driver I feel that the error may be the inaccuracy, general nature, or one size fits all circumstances of most traffic control systems. I mostly drive at night, on deserted streets, but I am still forced to behave as if it were rush hour. Yet when the roads are full and its pouring rain, I still feel forced by other drivers to maintain a reasonable speed. As automation finally reaches the drivers seat I hope that we will be able to move toward "honest" traffic control which is condition based.

Until that Utopian future, of emotionless robot drivers, emerges the engineers at my company Gravitational Systems Engineering have devised several smart traffic control devices that are worth consideration. Our devices called speed sponges, appear as green speed bumps but they are completely soft and collapse when encountered at safe speeds. However, when one of these devices is triggered by a speeder, it remains firm and slows the vehicle. They come in both embedded and surface mounted models, but in each instance they can not only stop unsafe behavior based upon road conditions, but they also force drivers to think.

Gare Henderson,

Gravitational Systems Engineering, Inc.

GravitationalSystems.org

Virginia,USA

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anny said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Construction safety engineering courses in chennai
Electrical safety engineering courses in chennai
nebosh course in chennai
best nebosh courses training institute chennai

gowthunan said...

Needed to compose you a very little word to thank you yet again regarding the nice suggestions you’ve contributed here.
nebosh course in chennai