The Worthington Post - Driving to Distraction

Welcome to July!  It's the time of year for long drives to our vacation destinations with our loved ones in tow.  Now that my readership has exploded into the double digits (Thanks, Mommy!!!) I feel the need to offer some helpful insight about what can really make a difference for families on the road.

Safety issues are paramount, of course.  You all know it’s dangerous to text and drive at the same time.  You KNOW this.  And at least eight more people know it now than before I addressed this issue in 

We are learning, too, that it is every bit as dangerous to talk on the phone while driving – even on a hands-free device.  In a study at the University of Utah, many drivers on the phone were more dangerous than drivers with a .08 percent blood alcohol level. 

In the comments section of that "Mom’s Talk," I relayed an incident wherein I was talking to the huz on my bluetooth on my way to pick up one of the kids. I stopped at a red light, and after looking both ways, drove. right. through. it. Yes, I was treating it as a stop SIGN rather than a stop LIGHT – something I have never done before.  I believe it happened because a part of my brain that I needed was distracted.

This has a lot to do with our inability to truly multitask.  Having a phone conversation likely interferes with our ability to process and act on all the information our brain absorbs while we’re driving. We cannot use the same part of our brain at the same time for two conflicting tasks.  Try these experiments: 

1. While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.  Now, while doing this, draw the number 6 in the air with your right hand.  Your foot will hesitate, or even change direction!  (I promise this is not an attempt to make you look silly...although I'm sure you do.)
2. Try to talk and type (or talk and write) at the same time.  Literally impossible.

Please indulge me as I take it a step further.  I assert that it can be extremely distracting to the driver when a passenger is on the phone.  It’s mildly annoying at best, and maddening at worst. 

It’s hard to hear one end of the conversation and, say, listen to music.  It is difficult to talk over it should you need to communicate with someone else who is in the actual car with you.  Just try to keep the little ones in the car quiet while the passenger is on an important business call.   Even if it is only you and the passenger in the car, I defy you to hear one side of the conversation without wondering what the other person is saying. 

All of this, ALL of it – reduces the driver’s ability to concentrate on driving –I am convinced of it.  I’m just waiting for some University of Smart People to back me up with the results of a scientific study.

Until that happens, I know that at least Larry David (the genius behind “Seinfeld” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) agrees with me.

(Warning:  The following video has a few bad words in it.  You may want to shoo the kiddos out of the room before watching it…but PLEASE - make sure you watch it!)

Bluetooth etiquette - Curb style