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General discussion

What do you think is the biggest threat to safe driving?

May 30, 2007 4:37AM PDT

- Bad drivers (Tell us why.)
- Car stereos (Tell us why.)
- Cell phones (Tell us why.)
- DVD players (Tell us why.)
- Eating or personal grooming (Tell us why.)
- GPS/navigation systems (Tell us why.)
- Kids (Tell us why.)
- People with road rage (Tell us why.)
- Pets (Tell us why.)
- Other (What is it?)

Discussion is locked

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Non-Focus on driving.
May 30, 2007 9:43AM PDT

Sure there are many bad habits that drivers have while driving. But the one important rule that we learn in the driving handbook is that driving is a privilege and thus it comes with responsibilities.
Main things that take our attention off our driving vary from pets or others in same vehicle demanding our attention, time schedules and road overcrowdiness, other rude drivers who may be drunk or just careless, and perhaps our eating, drinking or music habits that may cause immediate attention (spills, dropping CD's, reaching for items).

I believe cells phones are essential in our cars for our safety...but we should not use them while driving unless it is involing emergency assistance.

Running late and playing catch-up, road work..etc. there are many things that we can blame for our reasons to act irresponsibly. Once in a car....the focus is on our driving and maintaining control at all times.

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Driving with Phones and GPS's
May 30, 2007 9:48AM PDT

I use both tools very carefully. Both are mounted to the car. Neither needs to be held in my hand. Adjustments are always made when i am stopped safely off the road or by my passenger. I watch people every day who are talking on a phone held tightly in one hand and wondering all over the road. Then there was the lady eating her breakfast as she drove down the road. Or a man tying his necktie at 70 miles per hour. If we would all think about our actions and conduct ourselves safely we could avoid many accidents. Fjimp

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Dangerous Driving
May 30, 2007 9:50AM PDT

It doesn't matter who you are, or what type of car you drive, you MUST drive in a professional manner, in accordance with the road code.
Should you fail to do this you don't deserve the right to drive at all.
Driving is not for fun on public roads. It is by its very nature, deadly.

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Neglegent driving
May 30, 2007 9:53AM PDT

Just about everything listed after Bad drivers fits under bad drivers. The driver is responsible for EVERYTHING that goes on in his/her car. Safe driving is the driver's most important action. Sound systems, video systems, cellphones, makeup & hair brushing, reading, eating, petting your pet (or mate) - all of these are off limits.

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Negligent Spelling (SEE ABOVE) Dean
May 30, 2007 11:27AM PDT

It's NOTHing BUT BAD DRIVERS! Let me make my point by using an opposite example: Good drivers can handle children, pets, electrical gadgets, a CD player and a sandwich and yet get there and back in one piece.
>It's not the interrupting influence (gadget), it's the ability of the person behind the wheel.

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Neglegent driving?
May 31, 2007 5:06AM PDT

Lets start with the truth. Americans are all about me, myself and I. That is why our driving habits are soo poor. We are only concerned with our self.

- We speed excessively, yet complain about high gas prices, high inusrance prices, and the cost of speeding tickets.

- We attempt to dress ourselves while traveling down a 6 lane super highway at 80 - 90 to??? mph. Usually because we are late for work.

- We must have music playing all the time, so we fumble around with the radio (one which usually takes a college degree to operate) in an attempt to get the sound to our personal liking (me me me me me).

- We attempt to carry on conversations on our cell phones, thereby getting entangled in the converstaion and completely forgetting what we are doing. and we think to our selves...now just how did I not see that 4 ton truck I just rammed into, in front of me?

Multi tasking is an acceptable activity if like all things its taken in moderation. Many people safely use cell phones in vehicles on a daily basis...additionally many people drive to work listening to music daily with no issues...Its when you start to add all these tasks together with excessive speed and busy traffic that things get our of control.

We don't need more rules or laws... we need responsible adults...
- If your always late ... go to bed earlier and leave the house sooner, you will be supprised what 15 minutes will do to your day and the slower speed will save you money on gas (so you win twice)
- Try turning your cell phone off while driving if you can physically see more than two cars on the road in front or behind you.
- Preset your radio stations so all you need to do is push a button to get the station you are looking for

You see all the laws in the world will not solve this issue. Only we as adults can solve it. Its entirely up to us. Think of it this way, what are your going to say to God when he asks you "why did you kill my children"? You will be looking him straight in the face, what will be your answer?

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Missing Item on the Survey
May 30, 2007 10:01AM PDT

Any survey professing to ask / show what is the biggest threat to safe driving has got to include Booze / DUI as a category. That remains a very big cause for accidents, fatalities and "Near Misses" on the road today. Far too many people, repeatedly drink and drive and will one day kill someone.

Cell phone use (without a headset) is a serious problem for sure, but the survey should have included the DUI category to be complete.

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Cell Phones - Absolute emergency use only
May 30, 2007 10:05AM PDT

It mystifies me that cell phones are still allowed to be used by drivers in a moving car. Every scientific study I've seen (and there have been quite a few studies done in many countries) shows that the accident rate for drivers using cell phones (whether hand held or not) is the same as the accident rate for drunk drivers.

Drunk driving is against the law because it causes accidents. I don't understand why using a cell phone while driving a car is legal anywhere.

I can possibly understand using a cell phone while driving if an emergency occurs (accident that needs reporting, medical emergency, etc.), but do not understand why it's necessary for any other reason.

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Name the study
May 30, 2007 5:20PM PDT

When you site studies it would be helpful if you actually listed some so that we could look at them and evaluate them for ourselves.

I have heard a few discussions about cell phones and driving on talk radio and don't remember a single one that said the accident rate of people using cell phones while driving was anywhere near the accident rate of people driving drunk. If you could provide a link to a study that compares cell phone and drunk driving accidents it would be a big help.

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For or Against GPS and CELL PHONES in Cars Poll
May 30, 2007 10:14PM PDT

AGAINST Improper or gross misuse of any or all of the following BECAUSE IT DRAWS THE ATTENTION AWAY FROM SAFE DRIVING I.E. FOCUS ON THE TRAFFIC AND ROADWAY:
Car stereos (Tell us why.)
Cell phones (Tell us why.)
DVD players (Tell us why.)
Eating or personal grooming (Tell us why.)
GPS/navigation systems (Tell us why.)
Kids (Tell us why.)
People with road rage (Tell us why.)
Pets (Tell us why.)
Other (What is it?) SMOKING, BITING FINGER NAILS, FIDDLING WITH HAIR

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Name the study
Jun 1, 2007 12:45AM PDT

"When you site studies it would be helpful if you actually listed some so that we could look at them and evaluate them for ourselves."

Here are some references to such studies:

Here is a study from the University of Utah:
http://unews.utah.edu/p/?r=062206-1

Here is a Wikipedia article (I know - almost anyone can edit Wikipedia articles), that contains references to several different studies (:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phones_and_driving_safety

The Mythbusters did a study (admittedly, not as scientific as some of the other studies), and came to the same conclusions.

Here's a reference from CNet to a British study:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/07/12/cells.drivers/

There are lots of references to such studies. Just Google "cell phone driver safety study" for lots of reference.

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The biggest hazard on the road - is safe drivers!
May 30, 2007 10:07AM PDT

The folks who cause much of the road rage and other harmful behaviors are those self-appointed "safe drivers" who are going to enforce the speed limit for everyone so that everyone is as righteous as they are when driving.

They park in the left lane at 1mph below the speed limit and annoy the daylights out of everyone else (including me) who wants to drive at the normal driving speed for that road at that time of day.

What is even more annoying is when these so called safe drivers gang up and block all through lanes with their "safe" driving. They cause more cases of road rage and more fatal accidents than drunk driving and distracted drivers (cause? you name it - cell phones, GPS units, animated conversations with passengers, makeup, newspapers, etc) combined.

My $.02's worth - you might or might not agree. Food for thought.

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Hazard, yes. Cause, No way
May 30, 2007 1:38PM PDT

I get angry at these "freeway police" too, and I agree they're a hazard, BUT other people don't cause road rage. Rage is the choice of a frustrated individual, not the choice of the "frustrator". Nobody can cause us to lose our tempers, just like nobody can "mke" us get drunk, or use drugs or live promiscuously. It's an early lesson in AA and Al-Anon and something we recovering ACOAs have to live with every day of our lives. (Adult Children of Alcoholics.)You and I and every road rager has to realize that WE are the cause of rage. Those other morons cause risk, danger and frustration, bu we are the ones who choose to get angry.

Peace,

**** T.

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road rage
May 31, 2007 5:44AM PDT

Pleassse don't lecture us on drunken drivers. Not all of life's problems are based on drinking! Can you just imagine how frustrating it is to have someone ahead of you on the road who feels that they were their first and that you should not want to pass them, just because! And they also feel that their driving habits are the norm for everyone. These are a big part of road rage. Look outside the box.

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The biggest hazard on the road is lack of consideration.
May 30, 2007 3:51PM PDT

What an absolutely stupid arguement. It all comes down to this: if you speed, DUI, tailgate, cut corners, swerve between lanes, drive un-roadworthy vehicles, drive un-licensed, allow yourself to become distracted, etc, the list is much longer, you do not deserve to drive on public roads. The laws need to be much stronger, and driver education needs to be more pro-active throughout the lifetime of the driver, to address many of the problems on our roads today.

Licenses are given to teenagers who generally are many years to young to realise the responsibility of driving big, powerfull and dangerous weapons that motor vehicles tend to be. Not only that, but driver education stops as soon as one receives their license, instead of reasonably regular testing, perhaps every 5 years, to make sure that skills are correct and up to date. It is stupid to assume that just because you have been driving for a number of years, you are necessarily a good or competant driver.

Another harmful behaviour on our roads, are the idiots who think that the speed limit is the minimum speed to go, when in actuality it is only the maximum allowed by law, and often, depending on the conditions of the road, the weather, the time of day, the car you're using, your health, etc, the safer speed may well be much lower than the posted maximum. It is folly to believe that a slower driver is necessaryily a bad driver. By the same token, it is folly to believe that a driver is good just because they have never been CAUGHT speeding or drinking.

Individuals react differently in different situations, distractions may be detrimental to good driving fr one, while they are not an issue for another. The key to safe driving is this: drive legally, drive to the conditions, be considerate to other road users, and most importantly, drive drive safely.

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This isn't a hazard you fool.
May 30, 2007 6:38PM PDT

Safe driving, is what keeps cars going, do you think everyone was a speeding drunk cars would still be legal? People like you so describe in your post are what keeps people alive, why do you think the speed limit is 30mph, because you have an 89% chance of living if your hit, and just 10mph different, putting you at 40mph, the chances of living go down to just 18%, really dude think before you post.

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safe drivers!?!
May 31, 2007 5:39AM PDT

Amen! I couldn't agree more with you. I guess because this country was founded by Puritans, their progeny feels moral obligations to tell everyone else the 'right' way. Yes, I firmly believe that these folks cause most of the road rage! Problem is that law enforcement doesn't get it yet!

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Partial Truth
May 31, 2007 11:42PM PDT

r_kissel speaks the truth, or atleast part of it... self appointed "safe drivers" are people who think the law is the law and that it is not felxable. This is not the truth; when you see traffic being backed up behind you because you are going the limit, do the safe thing and pull over to let them pass, chances are that they will want to go abit faster than you because, of course, this is not the "perfect world" where everyone believes the law is in a solid state.

I am not sure if anyone has mentioned this, because i just skimmed over the posts, would be law enforcement officers. They are on the road to ensure safety and that the laws and rules of the road are upheld. Too many times I have seen police cruisers blast off at 100km/h in a 80km/h zone and upwards to 150km/h in our highways, without their lights on. They should be the ones setting an example and obeying the rules first, this would encourage the rest of the population, or atleast most, to follow their example. I speed when it is necessary. I know my fuel economy decreases 10% for every 10km/h over 100km/h I go over, so I try to do the limit at most times.

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You and all that agree with you are idiots
Jun 1, 2007 12:16AM PDT

I'm not one of your "safe drivers" but your logic is so flawed as to not even be worthy of a reply, however, you are the problem, not the so called safe drivers. I drive just like anyone else, but if I happen to get behind a slow driver I sure don't have an anxiety attack over it. Anyone that would let themselves become upset over going the speed limit so much that they cause an accident have a serious problem and should not be allowed to drive. If you can't slow down a little, even if you are behind someone going less than the speed limit, and just enjoy the drive, then you are to be pitied. You need to get a life, go see a counsellor or just stay home. What is it that you are in such a hurry to do? I'll bet you are rushing to save a life somewhere, oh excuse me. I am surrounded by idiots, God help us all.

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Who is the slow idiot?
Jun 1, 2007 4:56AM PDT

If you think you have the right to hold up anyone by cruising in the left lane because you want to 'enjoy' a smoggy city drive then you should be able to do it---just don't force others to 'While away the hours, consulting with the flowers,' to feel the same way on the highways. I like flowers next to my pond, not on the road! It's also very shallow of you to believe that everyone has to think like you! Give us the right to decide how we drive without you in the way.

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See, you've proved my point
Jun 1, 2007 5:24AM PDT

By not reading my post. What I said was that anyone that reacted to a slow driver by getting so upset they cause and accident is an idiot. You can drive any way you want as long as you don't cause and accident, but it's readily apparent that it's geniuses like you that cause most of the accidents by driving anyway you want.

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Biggest Threat.
May 30, 2007 10:07AM PDT

Without a doubt, the use of drugs and alcohol by drivers who under the influence.

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Bad Drivers
May 30, 2007 10:22AM PDT

Regardless of the cause of the distraction (in the car, outside on the road, or daydreaming in your head), people tend to take driving for granted. And are relaxed and comfortable in their skills. But driving is one of the most unsafe things we all do on a daily basis.
If folks just kept the driving as #1 focus WHILE they are driving -it would be much safer.

So if on a cell phone - watch the road first, make driving turns/maneuvers first, talk second. Dial second. Do only when no other driving skill is required.
Reduce the multi-tasking and use more serial-tasking, whith the driving tasks always #1 priority.

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bad drivers
May 30, 2007 12:26PM PDT

I agree totally with deanhampton, post 9. The driver is responsible for actions or interruptions in the vehicle. Also, people these days seem to be so self-centered that they don't know anyone else is on the road but them. So add in a cell phone, sandwich or whatever and you have a real problem. It's ok to talk, drive, eat, play with your dog, etc., but not at the same time you're attempting to successfully navigate a two-ton steel weapon on a public roadway going however fast!!

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holy texters batman
May 30, 2007 10:23AM PDT

No matter how bad dui's and cell phone users can be on the road, no threat is scarier than people that use their cells to text message other people (or recieve them) while they're driving..at least ppl that are on their cell watch the road.

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Bad drivers just down care about other people
May 30, 2007 10:29AM PDT

Phones, kids, pets, cutting you off. It all comes down to people are driving cars and pay no attention to or care about anyone else but themselves on the road. They aren't much but they are all they can possibly think about. If your driving then drive. All the other stuff should come at another time.

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Starting the Engine
May 30, 2007 10:36AM PDT

Killjoy that I am, I really think it is time we worked out a better way of getting about than hopping into a 15 foot piece of metal, that on average carries less than two people per trip. Anyone who thinks this is is sensible, deserves to have an accident.

regards

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combination of distractions
May 30, 2007 10:36AM PDT

The biggest threat comes when you get a combination of distractions going on - the synergy is usually more potent than one single factor.
-Cell phone with kids, and bad traffic
-Navigation system plus rain, bad drivers and extreme tiredness
-Eating, with pets, on the freeway while angry at the latest Bush calamity as heard on NPR.

Some things you can control (in theory) like turning off your cell phone, turning down the radio, telling the kids to settle down, or putting your pet in a carrier while ignoring the yowls and woofs. Sometimes you can even control your own emotions (uh, road rage) when someone does something stupid right in front of you (or behind you, or next to you... but hopefully not on top of you).

Things you can't control are traffic, weather, other drivers. Sometimes you can avoid traffic or delay going out in bad weather. Other drivers are unpredictable, especially when they too are distracted. To some extent you can depend on other people avoiding crashing into you out of their own sense of self-preservation, but that is less so as more and more toys and gizmos ride with us.

One big gizmo factor that isn't talked about much is how many of these things are more complicated than our nastiest VCR nightmare? For the most part we learn these things on the go and skip the manual. We should be able to operate car toys by touch or voice, not needing to take our eyes away from the road. But sadly tech makers are less about safety than about cool or profits.

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Other
May 30, 2007 10:43AM PDT

The average haughty arrogant American that is brain damaged from years of illegal drug usage and liberal ideology makes the road dangerous. Trying to talk on the cell phone, put on makeup, smoke, and drive is more than they should be tying to do. The average illegal alien seems to be a little brighter than the average arrogant twit American these days.

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Garbage In, Garbage Out
May 30, 2007 10:44AM PDT

It's a simple as this: Garbage in(thinking processes), Garbage out(bad driving habits).