Respect Driving As A Privilege

Sat., July 3, 1999

Vickie Countryman

Home away from home. That’s what our vehicles have become. You can eat, groom, do homework, talk on the phone and even watch TV; some vehicles now offer video monitors and others come equipped with laptop space, so you can compute when you drive. As workers are asked to put in more hours, they often use driving time to complete their workday.

So it’s not surprising that we feel so connected and dependent on our vehicles.

Automobiles give us a sense of freedom. However, driving is a privilege which is earned. It comes with responsibilities and rules that many of us take for granted. Summer is the season of road trips and transportation challenges to children’s sports, camps and other activities. The Fourth of July weekend is one of the busiest - and most dangerous - of the year.

Several incidents remind us of the valuable lesson of the responsibility that goes along with the driving privilege. Recently, two children were thrown from a car, and killed, after their father sped to 104 miles an hour. A woman, glancing toward her place of work off the highway, slammed into a car that was parked on the shoulder and killed three people.

While walking, novelist Stephen King was hit by a van because the driver was distracted by his dog.

Often obstacles to road safety have little to do with drunken drivers or road rage. Rather, simple and seemingly innocent activities done in your car can be deadly.

Recent studies indicate that using a cell phone has virtually the same impact on driving as consuming alcohol. And a late-night news show recently did an investigation into driving habits. Reporters found that the majority of their subjects were involved in activities that distracted their attention from the road. One man flossed his teeth for two minutes, his hands never touching the wheel.

Today’s vehicles come equipped for our entertainment and fast-paced lives. They are bigger and faster. They offer more amenities than ever for the busy driver. But technology is not the culprit here. Devices such as laptop holders and cell phones do not cause the accidents and deaths. Drivers do.

So when you are driving this holiday weekend, don’t push your luck. Keep your eyes on the road, hands on the wheel and leave your extracurricular activities - TV watching, shaving, filing your nails or filing your report - for firmer ground.

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