Distracted drivers a road hazard?

As more people are using electronic devices such
as Blackberries and cell phones while driving, more
accidents are occurring on Richmond roads, says a
Richmond judge.

Thomas Jones, a Richmond City Traffic Court
judge, said in his 22 years serving
on the bench, he has seen
distracted drivers cause the vast
majority of accidents-and new
technology only is making the
situation worse.

“Younger drivers are not mature,
and they don’t pay attention
(when driving),” Jones said. “I
would support a law banning cell-phone usage
because it is a distraction that causes accidents.”

In 2007, the Virginia General Assembly passed
a bill banning cell-phone usage for drivers younger
than 18. However, a 2008 bill that would have made
it illegal for drivers of all ages to send text messages
was tabled pending more research.

Geneva Beckett has been a school-bus driver for
more than 30 years. She said today’s drivers make
it more dangerous for her students to walk to and
from the bus.

“When you’re talking on the phone, you’re not
paying attention to what you’re doing,” Beckett
said.

Distracted drivers tend to
be ticketed for failure to yield,
improper lane changes, speeding
and running red lights, Jones
said.

More than 1,000 people
died in automobile crashes on
Virginia roadways in 2007.
That’s the highest number since
1990. To put that number in perspective, Virginia
State Police reported 398 homicides in 2006. Nearly
80 percent of crashes involve some form of driver
distraction, according to the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration.

In 2006, the NHTSA reported that cell-phone use
was the most common distraction for drivers.

“Drivers are often unable to predict when it
is safe to look away from the road to multitask
because the situation can change abruptly, leaving
the driver no time to react even when looking away
from the forward roadway for only a brief time,”
the report stated.

Some, such as Jones, eagerly await the arrival of
new legislation limiting the use of cell phones and
other electronics while driving. Jones said like the
law making it mandatory to wear seatbelts, this
legislation could save lives. But others are not so
happy about these new laws.

Senior Heather Ogle admitted to driving while
being distracted but doesn’t think it should be against
the law-as long as the driver is experienced.

“I’d be pretty mad if an officer pulled me over
for talking on the phone,” Ogle said.

As for alternatives to banning cell-phone usage
altogether, Ogle has her own solution.

“They should make it cheaper for hands-free
mobile devices as a better alternative to cutting
cell-phone usage altogether.”