Distracted to Death

Our lives are so filled with distraction, and it doesn’t stop when we enter our cars. Today’s vehicles are equipped with communication centers, navigation systems, entertainment systems, and of course...our coveted cell phones. There are dings and beeps and lights and voices and maps and on and on. No wonder we are distracted.

Over the last two weeks two people close to me have been involved in vehicle accidents, and I was nearly involved in one as well.

All of those accidents have the same thing in common... distracted driving.

According to Distraction.gov “The number of people killed in distraction-affected driving was 3,328 in 2012. An estimated 421,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver, this was a nine percent increase from the estimated 387,000 people injured in 2011.”

Even though adults generally drive for more than six decades, 27% of all distracted driving fatalities are people in their twenties.

These numbers are staggering and very frightening.

Distracted driving is not just talking on the phone or texting while driving. It also includes eating and drinking, talking to passengers, grooming, reading, fussing with navigation systems and fiddling with the radio.

In the three incidents I mentioned here, one was fiddling with the radio, one was talking to the passenger and one was texting.

A couple of vehicles were totaled, and one accident involved serious injuries but by the grace of God, no one lost a life... this time.

As usual I’m not pointing fingers at others while not including myself as part of the problem. I try to use hands free mode when I talk on my cell phone and I do my best not to text while driving, but it happens. However... in light of recent events, I’m going to try even harder to keep my eyes...and my thoughts on the road.

Peace and blessings to all... and keep your eyes on the road.