How to Put the Phone Down on the Road.

In the past few weeks I’ve often criticized both governmental and some innovative approaches to solving the problem of texting while driving and distracted driving, so how do we stop it? Is it simply a behavioural issue of people forgetting about their phones? I don’t think so. While much of the opinion I’ve encountered while writing this blog has tried to simplify the problem to “well just put the bloody phone down”, it’s really not quite so simple as that (comments such as “people who text and drive deserve to die” also don’t help!).

Mobile devices have become deeply embedded into our lives, whether we like to accept it or not. Like the 7 second viral videos of the internet age and blockbuster films that shift from shot to shot like rapid fire, today attention is at a premium. So how do we encourage young people to stay attentive on the road when a two-minute video is often “too long”? Well as I have often suggested, I think through the technology we can find a solution, but herein lies another problem. Is there a way to stay connected on the road that doesn’t deflect attention away from the road? As we have seen, even the most socially accepted forms of communication while behind the wheel can be perilous. So is it a matter of a trade-off? Do we say voice recognition software or augmented reality headsets are an acceptable distraction due to the fact they minimize the risk?

In the end it is not for me to decide. All I can really say is, for the love of god, please don’t text and drive, I shouldn’t have to take losing someone you love or taking the life of another person to realize it is a really terrible idea.

Distracted Driving Laws in Need of Updating?

A recent Sydney Morning Herald article brought it my attention that the laws surrounding the use of mobile devices may be in need of some updating. Many of the apps I have spoken about on this blog use auto-receivers and responders to attempt to negate texting while driving. However it has come to my attention that it is illegal to:

‘Automatically receive the full text of an SMS on screen, even if the phone is out of reach or sight’

Meanwhile, it is completely legal to :

‘Use a hand-held phone while riding a skateboard, unicycle or roller blades’

AND also legal to:

‘Pick up a CB radio or two-way device while driving and talk on it’.

It all seems a little contradictory. Although with all this, ultimately a lot of what you get caught doing behind the wheel is up to the discretion of the police officer.

What I think needs to be done though is a greater awareness of how dangerous being distracted while driving can be. People are often trying to do everything BUT keep their eyes on the road: playing with the stereo, eating breakfast, smoking cigarettes. This all contributes the the attitude of “What’s the harm if I take a peek at my phone?”

In the end the laws and the general societal view SHOULD reflect the fact that it is dangerous to take your attention off the road, even if for a split second.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mike-burns/5913303/

Serenity Now – How Do You Make Driving Safer?

One of the biggest difficulties that trying to stop texting while driving faces is apathy. A problem that has I’m sure plagued many public health and safety campaigns, including mine, is getting people to care. And when the supposed biggest offenders are young people, how do you make them care about being safe on the road? The conventional approach has been to bombard them with a frightening images that will scare them into obeying whatever it is you want them to do. The ends justifies the means, as they say. But maybe we should take a step back a little and to the side, for just a second.

Apologies if this gets a little abstract, but the problem I’ve always noticed about driving a car is the way it tends to dehumanize people. Hmm, let me try to explain what I mean. We often react differently in cars because instead of seeing another human being that is just as imperfect as yourself, you are faced with a big hunk of metal that is simply an obstacle in the way of my getting to yoga on time. What if instead of seeing a praise Jesus bumper sticker on the back of a car you saw a human face? Would many of us still be so impatient and impolite? Perhaps. On top of all this the act of driving becomes so second nature to us we forget we are actually driving this huge chunk of metal that could end our lives in one ill-timed sneeze.

So next time you’re driving, remember: it’s really not worth the risk. Put the phone down, take a deep breath and relax. Serenity Now.

 

 

A Tale of Two States – How Distracted Driving is being Treated in Australia

While the problem of texting while driving is much more int he mainstream in the US, it is interesting to look at how the problem has been addressed by the state governments here in Australia. The campaigns by the various road safety organisations is very revealing.

Victoria’s TAC have taken the conventional approach, resorting to (as most road safety campaigns do) scare tactics that show your careless and seemingly insignificant behaviour on the roads can affect many lives forever more.

In stark contrast to this is the campaign by the NSW RMS, that takes a much more lighthearted approach to the problem, attempting to use viral media – with a series of videos only featuring on YouTube and a series of adverts on the back of taxis and on buses with the slogan “Get Your Hand Off It”.

Research has shown scare tactics to be affective at awareness but more ineffective in creating any kind of behavioral change. While the NSW campaign may be seen as somewhat facetious, it is clearly targeting those whom road safety authorities feel is responsible for the distracted driving “epidemic” – young people. While i think the NSW attempt is a refreshing change to the scare campaigns of most road safety, it could be much better. It seems anytime a govermental organisations tries to be viral it becomes anything but.