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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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Everyone's a bad driver
May 31, 2007 9:59AM PDT

Bad driving includes not recognizing limits. Paying attention to anything other than road conditions is bad driving. Reading directions, eating, drinking and talking are all things that make people bad drivers.

My parents got around the cellphone debate by combining errands and putting a kid in the passenger seat with the cellphone, directions/map and anything else that could take their attention away from the road. They drove and we took calls, just like we would it they were doing anything else that would keep them from the phone. Now that it's come out that talking on a cellphone while driving is just as dangerous as driving drunk, I'm really thankful they did that.

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Cell Phones, Cell Phones, Cell Phones
May 31, 2007 10:53AM PDT

First off if you have a hands free kit great, you're doing your part. Be sure you use it. I'm not against cell phone use with a handsfree kit. Though obviously there are people who aren't able to handle even that level of distraction while driving. They are the same folks who shouldn't even be listening to the radio while driving.

I can think of several examples I've seen of near accidents where it was easy to see the other driver holding a cell phone to their ear and not paying any attention to where they were driving.

Of course there are also many examples of accidents where someone on thier cell phone wasn't paying any attention and hit someone.

http://safety.blr.com/display.cfm/id/96848

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Of all gadgets only the cell phone is bad.
May 31, 2007 11:27AM PDT

Car Stereo in mostly one way to use. You select your station or CD and forget about it. You just listen to the music or talk show. Navigation system, you input your destination and let it guide you. But cell phone requires more of you. Not only you need to hold the phone but you are trying to maintain a conversation with someone that does not know what are you doing but distracting you. Your eyes might be looking out thru the windshield but your mind is some place else. That is when you are not aware of what is going around you. Your mind goes into a temporally day dream and you are all over the road, slowing down for not apparent reason or worst causing an accident.

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Impatient Drivers
May 31, 2007 12:31PM PDT

Impatient drivers take foolish chances. It's worse during rush hour. I've seen drivers cut in front of other cars with only inches to spare. If the other cars happened to speed up only slightly, there would have been a high injury accident. Why dothey risk their lives to save no more than a minute or two? Most times they reach a stop light either at the same time or even later than I do, and I'm driving at the speed limit and taking my time. I do say a prayer for their safety though and also for the drivers whom they so recklessly cut off. Happy

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It's D.U.I.
May 31, 2007 2:21PM PDT

MADD has got it down. As the E.R.Medical Director of a hospital in the Florida Keys (No snow or icey roads;no mountain passes;no sharp curves) I can attest that driving under the influence of alcohol &/or other consciousness altering drugs is the biggest threat to safe driving, in my experience.

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Accidents happen from bad reaction to unexpected events
May 31, 2007 2:31PM PDT

Anything that impedes a driver physically or mentally is a problem. It delays reaction or leads to wrong reaction; All the things mentioned are impedements: Smoking, kids, cell phone, looking at a map, etc. A hot ash falls into smokers lap at 60 mph; a child throws a toy at the driver; Driver drops the cell phone; All take away from the focus needed to control a car. What makes cell phone the worst is that driver is THINKING about what to say, not driving. NOt being prepared for unexpected. YOu can always tell a cell phone driver; the car is lagging in traffic, the driver mentally off in conversation. It should be illegal because the main difference is that it is preventable;

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You left off the most obvious one
Jun 1, 2007 12:03AM PDT

Drunk driving. It kills far more people than the war in Iraq or 9/11. Instead of worrying about terrorists, we need to focus on the real threat to our lives. There are about 50,000 per year killed by drunk drivers, not to mention how many are injured and maimed for life, yet there is no hue and cry about that. If the idiots that are crying about the war would pull their heads out, they would realize that their sons and daughters are at more danger right here at home than they are over there. If you take the age group that is currently stationed in Iraq and look at the fatality statistics you will see that the biggest threat to their life is automobile accidents yet you don't see anyone picketing about that. Just goes to prove that people are not rational creatures with logic.

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Mobiles!
Jun 1, 2007 12:54AM PDT

Definitely Mobile Phones/Cell Phones. We have had several campaigns on our main road as they have had so many accidents because drivers are on their phones!

There are many others but I would say that is the worst at the minute. But anything that takes the drivers attention off the road is a threat from gadgets to eating!

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It doesn't matter at all...
Jun 1, 2007 6:34AM PDT

People are going to be distracted by anything that distracts them. Take my mom. She can't walk through a room without tripping over a chair or jamming her knee on a wall. She's backed over bikes, run into poles and parked cars. Put her in a car and give her a car stereo. Of course she's gonna be distracted. (However, she thinks she's a good driver and gets very offended if there is any insinuation that she's not.)

The bottom line is that people can be distracted by anything. Radio, kids, shaving, eating, cell phone, gps, etc...

Some people are better at not being distracted. Some people can get dressed in the car. Congratulations. They probably shouldn't but if they have to...well...be careful. Who's to say that the guy getting into his Halloween costume while driving is any worse off than the guy who just found out his wife is having an affair? We can all be distracted at times. Thus, it's important to always drive carefully.

Don't drive fast. Focus when your turning. Have an awareness of everything around you. Mom. Even though you think you do, you don't.

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DUI
Jun 1, 2007 9:56AM PDT

The greatest threat on the road is a drunk driver. And I stress alcohol over other recreational drugs, not just because more people use it, but because it actually impairs your vision.

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The driver is the one "in the driver's seat"!
Jun 1, 2007 11:44AM PDT

I am seeing "bad drivers" with increasing frequency. Licensing is intended as a screening process for obvious reasons. Suspending someone's privileges may appear to be a harsh result, but not when compared to the consequences of a serious accident. If each person would consider what they could do that would make a difference,they might be surprised at the possibilities. Letting friends and family members know that you care about their well-being should be positive reinforcement and encouragement for "doing the right thing".
If you are mature enough to be "in the driver's seat", you should recognize the responsibility that requires. Be aware of the consequences of being reckless, careless, or excessively agressive.

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Absolutely!
Jul 12, 2007 2:30AM PDT

I totaly agree. I hope you see this as I am replying to your post nearly six weeks later. I am working OT, and do not have much time anymore! It could not have been put better!

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Bad Drivers
Jun 1, 2007 11:46PM PDT

Take most of that whole list, and it constitutes a form of bad driver. Get road rage out of the way first. That is attempted murder, or outright murder should someone get killed. The prison sentences should be stiff! Forget second degree; when somone decides to go after someone else, their car becomes a weapon, and they made a decision to attack someone. The same goes for DUI. When you make a conscious decision to consume booze, or use drugs full well knowing you will need to drive afterwards, you have made a decision that puts others in harms way. You do not care obviously, and should be a guest of the penal system, likewise. Secure the kids, and crate the pets. Figure some way, as my folks did to entertain your kids so as not to distract the driver. As to my former (and occasionaly still) avocation of storm chasing, for the scenic driver, and for the tech gadgets-PULL OVER!!

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Tailgating is the biggest threat
Jun 2, 2007 1:13AM PDT

Tailgating is the biggest threat. When your driving 3 feet from the back of a car at 70 MPH, even if you are paying attention, you have no way to avoid an accident if the other car suddenly slows, stops or makes a sudden correction. Volvo's new beeper alarm is a genius idea, though I would rather have a required feature that will not allow you to drive too close to a car in front, i.e. that automatically slows you.

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It's the DRIVER'S Fault.
Jun 2, 2007 2:21AM PDT

If you're going to ban cell phones, then let's ban Smoking.

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bad drivers..........
Jun 2, 2007 4:38AM PDT

There are a lot of bad drivers out there. No excuse is going to eliminate the fact that they are bad drivers.
What defines a bad driver? Someone who is not driving when they are driving. Why is it that the Italians seem to be crazy drivers and have fewer accidents on curvy narrow roads than Americans do on straight flat super highways. - Because when they drive they are focused on driving and not what they are going to have for lunch or dinner.

Yes, all the other items listed are distractions and are equally able to help you have an accident. Food, kids, and cell phones being at the top of the list. AND I really take exception to all the hype about cell phones. They are no worse than the others, they are just more prevalent nowadays.

If someone takes their eyes off the road for more than 0.9 seconds they should be stopped and detained for 6 hours.

It isn't an issue of driving with one hand as some state have tried to use to outlaw cell phone and CB radio use. Police do it all the time.
It is an issue of taking your EYES off the road to read, look at the kids, look at the woman/guy walking down the street, put on makeup, or search your phone book for the person you want to call.

Once on the phone, if you change lanes without looking, don't use the phone as an excuse - your just a bad driver who would have done it without the phone.

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Cell Phones
Jun 2, 2007 6:26AM PDT

When a person phones and drives at the same time, he/she is more focused on phoning than driving, has to drive with one hand if he/she does not have a hands-free model, etc. For these reasons, cell phones are arguably the worst force in car accidents.

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I've heard that...
Jun 2, 2007 7:15AM PDT

But the last three accidents I've been in were not phone related. One was a Dog, the other was someone messing with his stero.

I saw a guy narrowly miss someone else cause he was drinking coffee and it burned him.

Basicaly, if you are going to ban one, you gotta ban everything in a car. No drinks, animals, phones, smokes, lights, portable games PSP Gameboy, food, music, or anything else that could be remotely distracting.

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Well, I did not say that all car accidents are phone-related
Aug 18, 2007 7:09AM PDT

I just said that most (again, not all) car accidents come from using a celluar telephone while driving.

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Bad drivers
Jun 2, 2007 7:12AM PDT

Just people who don't know, or don't car to drive safely. Everything else is just related to that. A safe driver talking on a phone is still a safe driver. A bad driver with a phone is just an accident waitting to happen.

I also think the requirements for getting a licence is lax. It's amazing the people who get a licence and yet can't drive.

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Other drivers.
Jun 2, 2007 7:53AM PDT

Self-centered idiots who think they own the road, those on cell phones, those putting makeup/shaving in the car, those who attend to their passengers instead of the road, those who cut others off, etc...I can go on forever with this!

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All Below Plus
Jun 2, 2007 8:38AM PDT

Everything in a car can be a distraction, people or things. The true hazards are a lack of a sense of responsibility for one's own actions as they affect others, a lack of common sense, and a total lack of courtesy. Put these back into driving and I garrantee that accidents and "road rage" would be cut by at least half.

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Cell phones
Jun 2, 2007 3:28PM PDT

Most drivers use one hand to hold the cell phone instead of a hands-free mike/earbud; this means they only have one hand on the wheel,which is dangerous for him and other drivers on the road. Many drivers are so distracted by there cell phone conversation that they do not pay attention to their speed(they tend to drive slower than the rest of the traffic) or to maintaining the lane(one driver
going around a corner with a cell phone in his hand came over into my lane and nearly hit me if I had not slammed on the brakes). When I get a cell phone call in the car, I pull over to the shoulder and stop to talk; I feel much safer that way.

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Fairly Simple
Jun 2, 2007 10:33PM PDT

There have always been bad drivers. We have added many things to distract us when driving. These have made distractions even more dangerous to good drivers and exponentialy worse for bad drivers. These include take out food, electronics (stereos, cell phones, mp3 players, gps devices, pda's, laptops, shavors).

It is a law of physics that objects moving the same speed and the same direction will not meet (collide). That being said, some simple rules would prevent many accidents.

Slower traffic keeps right. If you notice vehicles passing you on the right, pull into the next right lane.

Don't use your front bumper as an indicator of upcoming traffic conditions. Look at least 1/4 mile ahead. Watch for brakes lights and lane changes. Look for vehicles drifting into another lane. Watch to your sides and behind you. Plan for emergencies as you drive. Leave enough space in front of you. Don't hold up traffic behind you. This helps reduce sudden moves to avoid trouble. If you see alot of brake lights in the distance, slow down. If you see a slow moving truck or vehicle that is being passed, plan to get around it before you are stuck behind it and have to pass it when other traffic is passing you at a higher speed.

And for heavens sake (and ours), use a hands free if you are on a cell phone.

http://moelaynes.wordpress.com/

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Blame Nascar
Jun 3, 2007 5:00AM PDT

I say that somewhat with tongue in cheek, but Nascar has only added fuel to the fire of the epidemic of aggressive driving that is wreaking havoc and destruction everywhere. This is not the same as road rage...I've seen many otherwise mild mannered people lose their grip with highway reality when they get behind the wheel. But it is true that people with a self-obsessed view of life in general will also tend to be very aggressive driving a car. It's not all about who gets to their destination first: it's about getting there alive.

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Florida Drivers
Jun 3, 2007 5:19AM PDT

We moved from MI. 4 yrs. ago. I now live in Bradenton FL. They have as does the rest of FL. the worst most inconsiderate drivers I have ever seen. Most of these people come from the East Coast. N.Y, N.J. etc. They don't stop for stop signs, stop lights etc. Even the police don't use turn signals. You take your life in your hands every time you turn ign. key to run!

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Bad Drivers and Cell Phones unite to destroy the world!!!!
Jun 4, 2007 2:44AM PDT

Okay, well maybe not really. Fact is though that the two DO go hand in hand. Yeah, I'm guilty of talking on my cell while driving too, but at least I use a headset or at the very least, that wonderful feature found on almost any mobile phone....SPEAKERPHONE! I don't answer the phone unless I really have to. Even then I find that people won't try to talk to me anymore when I'm driving because they know I'm not paying attention to them. Not sure what gave it away..."Uh-huh..... oh yeah?... right...Mmm Hmm" C'mon like you'd be able to tell I wasn't listening?

And then there are those drivers out there that really piss me off when they are driving with one hand on the wheel and the other one holding the phone to their ear. They tend to stray into other lanes, switch lanes without signaling (as their conversation is far more important that your well being as they sideswipe you), drive extremely slow, make left hand turns from the right lane (once again too busy on the phone to pay attention).... you know, the usual stuff. Let?s take today for example?. On the drive in I counted 3 people that were all almost causing accidents by drifting in to other lanes. Now can you guess what I saw when I caught up to them? C?mon, just take a guess? Yup, you got it. They ALL had a damned cell held up to their head?. Although one of them was actually drilling for oil at the same time too so he just didn?t have any hands on the wheel? I?m waiting for the new, ?No Picking and Driving? campaign to come out in the fall. Just watch, it?ll happen.

So basically, I?d say that the two of these contribute to one another and you?ll have to take them both as to ?The biggest threat to safe driving?. I challenge you guys out there that are always on your cell while driving to prove me wrong. I?m waiting?.

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Bad Drivers are the worst
Jun 4, 2007 4:37AM PDT

Bad drivers are definately the most scary thing out there on the road. A good driver, even when distracted by a phone conversation or eating, would still be safer on the road than a driver that has no defensive driving skills to begin with.
Someone very close to me is a bad driver. She doesnt drink or do drugs and is rarely on her phone while driving, but, even with all of her attention focused on driving, she is consistently unaware of the drivers around her and frequently makes bad decisions that she will not follow thru with which ultimately confuses other drivers who are trying to figure out what she is going to do. I am scared to death to even get in the car when she is driving.

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Bad drivers
Jun 4, 2007 9:26AM PDT

Bad drivers include several of your other options. Actually bad upbringing is probably the biggest problem. Not being properly schooled by parents in self control and and in behaving in a responsible manner along with the attitude that driving is a right when in fact it is a privilege are probably the biggest problems I saw out there as a professional driver.
If your attention is not on the road, you cannot possibly be a good defensive driver.

Some things are unavoidable - we have to drive our children and sometimes our pets around. But cell phones are not a requirement and they are avoidable. Road rage is not a sickness. It's bad upbringing.

We have bathroom mirrors for grooming and alarm clocks to get us up early enough to do it at home.

I see no problem with stereos being played at a reasonable volume but if it is so loud you can be heard coming for a city block or having earphones in your ears - well pretty selfish, pretty ignorant to say nothing of pretty hard to hear the ambulance coming up fast behind you. Not smart!

Drinking and driving - well if you want free government room and board, there are safer and easier ways to get it. There are some countries where drinking and driving merit the death penalty. Sounds a bit excessive but then I have to tell you there is very, very little drinking and driving in those countries.

Those are my thoughts. Thanks for the opportunity to vent.

Karen

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cell phones and bad drivers
Jun 6, 2007 2:00PM PDT

I think cell phone use should not be allowed while driving. It's distracting to the driver. I see many drivers talking on cell phones , they don't pay attention to their driving. You can usually tell when the driver is on a cell phone , whether it's a hand's free or hand held, because they are driving much slower than the traffic around them. they make turns and lane changes without signalling. There should be a national law that "every driver" should be re-tested every 5-7 years. Teen drivers should have to do an actual road test driving exam with an dps officer in the car to grade their driving. Drunk driving should carry a harsher penalty in every state. States that don't comply or don't strictly enforce drunk driving laws should have their hiway funding cut by 25%. If a driver is stopped because of erratic driving they should have to submit to a breath a lyzer test on the spot.