With the advent of warmer weather, we are seeing more people – especially children – out around town. That means it’s time to think about vehicle and roadway safety. This month, the state is conducting its “UDrive.UText.UPay” campaign, a federally-funded campaign to raise awareness and crack down on distracted driving. But it’s not just about avoiding traffic tickets; it is about personal responsibility and weighing the value of human life.
Distracted driving includes all situations in which drivers take their eyes off the road, take their hands off the wheel, or generally take their mind off driving.According to the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety (HTS), talking and texting on cell phones is the number one cause of distracted driving among drivers of all ages. Nine people in the United States are killed each day in crashes that involve a distracted driver, the CDC’s Transportation Safety division reports.
HTS reports that from 2011-2020, 32,000 people were killed in distracted driving-related crashes on our nation’s roads. Driver inattention has remained the most frequently cited cause of fatal and incapacitating crashes in New Jersey, contributing to nearly 50 percent of all New Jersey crashes. The situation is just as dire in Livingston, where there were 6,023 crashes reported to the Livingston Police Department from 2019 through 2023, an average of 1,205 crashes per year.
While it is difficult to measure when one’s mind is not in the moment, it is easy to see when someone is not physically present at the wheel. Surely, we all have had the experience of pulling up next to a vehicle, only to see someone staring intently into their lap. The most frightening experience is witnessing drivers holding up their phones at eye level while their vehicles are actually in motion. The phones are often held to the side, of course, so as not to completely block the drivers’ line of sight. Maybe this offers a false sense of security to the offenders.
It’s one thing to talk to passengers, have a conversation on bluetooth, or grab a quick snack while driving (although all fall under the category of “distracted driving”), but sending or receiving texts or emails is unacceptable and, frankly, appalling. We wonder what those who text or email while driving would think if they came upon a driver who was perusing a newspaper or writing up a shopping list while cruising down the highway at 65 miles per hour.
What it really comes down to is how much we value life, both our own and others’, and what is actually important in a lifetime. What we have to internalize is that immediate nonemergency communication, social media posts, and a need to feel constantly “connected” are not important in the grand scheme of things. Our lives, and the lives of our children, are.
It is important to note that the amount of time it takes to brake is affected by the driver’s level of distraction or impairment. Some studies have compared distracted driving with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In all cases, reaction time is slowed significantly.
New Jersey law bans the use of a handheld cellular phone while driving, and those who talk or text on a handheld cell phone while driving face a fine. But despite these laws and enforcement campaigns to crack down on this dangerous habit, distracted driving continues to be a major concern.
Of course, we should also all follow the recommendations of AAA, whose safe driving tips include slowing down, coming to complete stops, taking extra care when in reverse, and watching out for pedestrians and bicycles. During a three year period from 2018 to 2020, Livingston Police officers investigated 42 motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians or bicyclists.
Instructing small children about roadway safety should always include how to cross a street, how to judge if there is adequate time to cross, and to never cross from between two parked cars. Teach children that when there is no sidewalk and it is necessary to walk on the roadway, they should walk on the far left side of the street facing traffic, and use crosswalks and designated school crossings whenever possible. We should also take the time to talk to teen drivers, as car accidents are the leading cause of death of teenagers in the United States.
All of these issues, of course, would be lessened if we are able to limit distracted drivers. So this month, like all months, pay attention to the road – and only the road – when behind the wheel.
