Mobile Phones and Other Distractions
Driving has a funny contradiction. When we first start driving, our brains are overwhelmed with all we have to do to maintain control of the car. We are developing our list and visual search patterns. We are developing our sense of direction and honing our skills at anticipating the actions of other drivers. But as we get more experience and better at driving, the demand on our brain decreases. As this happens, drivers begin thinking it's ok to operate the radio or use a mobile device like a cell phone. Mobile phones bring all three forms of distraction: manual, cognitive, and visual. When cell phone use in the car started over 25 years ago we certainly did not get the outcry of public endangerment that now exists. So, what has changed? Physically, phones have changed: the buttons are smaller, the letters on many screens are smaller, the screens have more choices and finally the phones are smaller. All of these factors make using the cell phone more distracting to the driver. Cell phones become a manual distraction to drivers because of the small size of the buttons and the phone's smaller size. Because the phones are smaller in size they just do not rest on your shoulder like they once did and you must hold them. Another huge change is texting. For whatever reason, drivers think taking your hands and eyes off the road while driving so they can text is acceptable. It is not. Would you recommend to your child/best friend/mother, whomever that when you are driving please start typing notes or reading on your cell phone while you are driving? This reckless, dangerous behavior is fueled by a lack of discipline, a need for attention, or an outright self-centered view that somehow enriches you at the expense of others. Part of maturing as a human being is gaining a wider, deeper understanding that your actions affect others. Driving exemplifies this concept. Being a safe collision free driver is also being mature.