Transforming Vehicle & Driver Safety Series - Part 2 - Distracted Driving

By Ken Creager, President & CEO

There’s been a lot of hype in recent years about distracted driving - a term used widely in the media - that offers some insight into a phenomenon that some consider as new. Unfortunately this is not a new trend and you should be concerned about its growing impact on drivers.

Truth be told, simply passing a test does not automatically qualify a person as a safe driver. It takes a deep well of dexterity, concentration and motivation to maneuver a vehicle through heavily populated, fast-paced, moving environments. Vehicle manufacturers have become experts in enabling average drivers to perform extraordinary maneuvers in the serenity of leather covered, impeccably silent, well equipped, softly-sprung automobiles. How often have you looked down in surprise to see that you’re traveling at 70 mph when you thought you were only going 45 mph? Why does this matter? For the most part, you’re regulated by laws that dictate what you can and what you can’t do when driving. And the courts are becoming less tolerant of distracted drivers. For example, in a landmark case in Massachusetts a teen was sentenced to two years in prison for texting while driving, as the resulting collision led to the death of a 55-year-old New Hampshire father of three.