Cellphone use while driving without a hands-free device is a hot issue these days. We applaud Havre’s Ordinance Committee for having the courage to begin drafting an ordinance that will ban driving without a hands-free device and texting while driving.
All one has to do is stand on the corner of any Havre downtown intersection for 15 minutes, and you’ll observe car after car passing in which the driver has a phone glued to his or her ear. You’ll observe some vehicles coming to a complete stop, some will proceed out of turn, some will do a rolling stop and at least one driver will miss the stop altogether. You’ll notice that a majority of these drivers are talking on a cellphone without a hands-free device.
We have become a nation of people who can’t be without their phone, even while driving. The safety of other drivers and pedestrians has become a real concern because of cellphone addiction.
Many states and municipalities throughout the country already have ordinances that ban cellphone use while driving without a hands-free device. Why? Because it’s dangerous. To those who want to debate the issue, numerous and very credible studies validate the increase in accidents due to cellphone use while driving without a hands-free device.
Over the last 15 years, we have become so addicted to the cellphone that we can’t even go five minutes without phone contact before withdrawal symptoms set in. Technology is a wonderful thing, but somehow common sense must come into play — any distraction while driving is not a good thing.
Driving and texting is even more dangerous. Texting is very popular with the Gen-X, Gen-Y and soon-to-be driving Gen-Z. Texting while driving is like playing Russian Roulette — eventually the percentages are going to catch up to you, and the outcomes are all bad. We shouldn’t have to legislate common sense, but the thought of people driving and texting is so scary that something needs to be done, and enacting an ordinance prohibiting it seems the best way to handle the problem.
When common sense goes out the window, we look toward government to step in to protect the innocent who could be hurt.
In the near future, the insurance companies may begin issuing policies with texting and phone related exclusions. Until that happens, the ordinance committee is on the right track, and we commend them for tackling this issue head on.
That is decidedly different from dropping your lip stick container. It can't talk back. Also it's different from placing a CD into the recepticle. It can't talk back either or ask you a question.
Here is an interesting exercise to show the division of attention in a totally different environment.
First thing in the morning, whem some either mix tea or sea salt in their morning water to properly hydrate the human cells.
Mix the water with a spoon - plastic or regular spoon. Round and round we mix the water trying to mix at the same speed. Then open your morning vitamin C bottle or others with the opposite hand and while still keeping the same speed mixing the water or tea, try to open that bottle and extract a vitamin with the other hand and then put the lid back on with the other hand without changing speed of your mixing with the opposite hand. With practice you will notice your dual coordination will improve, however often the mixing hand stops completely as the brain switches back and forth between both tasks.
Interestingly enough the dual coordination appears to improve or deterioriate depending upon one's energy level. There are so many contributing factors determining energy level and the brain's ability to focus efficiently that consistent celling while driving is truly a disaster waiting to happen for nearly all humans.
Case in point: Years ago a friend of our family was flying a military jet with a group of exabition pilots, in formation.
The team commander ordered "left" turn. Everyone in the formation turned left except the fellow to his left, who turned right ---- directly into his left side. The one in error had a functioning ejection seat and he survived. Our friend's ejection seat did not work and he augered in and is buried here in a Montana cemetery.
That accident occurred with no outside interference other than what the erring pilot was daydreaming about. Yes, he was very embarrassed, however that didn't save his fellow pilot. Military pilots go through rigerous training before they qualify and are in their peak condition of life therefore what about the average citizen who was up late last night and perhaps a little hung over from whatever?? Celling injects a good deal of outside interference and drastically changes the percentages of running over one of your neighbors dogs, kids, wives or husbands.
Have a wonderful day...