Driving on the road demands utmost attention and to fall short of the required attention could be fatal to both the car occupants and pedestrians. As a fact, drunken and aggressive driving fatalities and injuries are alarmingly increasing over the past two decades. This fact is also attributed to the increasing number of distracted and negligent driving cases.
Earlier, the American Beverage Institute (ABI) has launched a nationwide public awareness campaign about the dangers of distracted and negligent driving. The institute has been at the forefront in precluding drivers with high blood alcohol concentrations from getting behind the wheel. However, road safety entails more than just regulating abusive drunkards off the road. In addition, it is also more than just purchasing the most reliable auto parts accessories and systems like the Saab Alco-key, , and the Toyota Parking Assist system.
In this week's edition of .S. News and World Report a full-page advertisement about distracted driving was published. The ad shows a young woman talking on her cell phone, sending a text message, checking her email, eating, and speeding. The headline reads: "She would never drive drunk yet she's MORE dangerous than a drunk driver."
Sober driving could still entertain a great percentage of road accidents when attended by distractions. Distracted driving, in fact, could be lethal. According to statistics, distracted driving is the number one killer of American teens. The information shows that alcohol-related accidents among teens have dropped, but because distracted driving is on the rise, teenage traffic fatalities remain unchanged.
According to a survey conducted by the institute, while over 90 percent of teen drivers say they do not drive drunk, nine out of ten say they have seen drivers distracted by passengers or using cell phones. The study also showed that a drowsy driver, or even one going ten miles faster than others on the road, is more dangerous than one who is legally intoxicated.
Aside from the aforementioned, more than 80 percent of drivers admit to hazardous behavior while behind the wheel including: reading, changing clothes, steering with feet, painting nails, and shaving. Additionally, drivers on cell phones are more impaired than drivers with a .08 BAC level.
"Now that we've had such success in the war against drunk driving, we need to turn our attention to the dangers of distracted driving," said Sarah Longwell, the spokeswoman for the ABI. "Most people would never drive drunk, yet people don't think twice before taking a call while driving, sending a text message, or eating, even though those actions are often as bad, if not worse than driving drunk."
