Maclean’s has posted a new report on distracted driving, where they introduce a new (and dangerous) type of distracted driver.
RCMP Cpl. Chris Little has noticed a concerning, and deadly, trend when it comes to distracted driving. Drivers are now self-preoccupied in a steel-and-glass bubble, oblivious to the outside world. Little has pulled over drivers who have been brushing their teeth, applying makeup, and even reading a 300 page novel.
He also pulled over drivers who have been eating a meal while trying to drive with their knees. However, there was one solo female driver who took the concept of distracted driving to a whole new level:
“A call came in that a vehicle was driving erratically,” Little says. When I pulled her over, her clothing was around her knees and she was flushed. You get the picture.” She was charged with careless driving.
The fact that the number of drivers involved in a fatal accident, due to distracted driving, has increased has not been enough to make a dent in people’s driving habits.
Distracted driving leads to a lot of “me-first” behaviours, including disregard for traffic signs, failing to signal, lane-hogging, crowding intersections, sailing through red lights.
Transport Canada released statistics that reveal a decrease in deaths from automobile accidents over the past decade. This is impart due to the improvements car manufacturers have made to reduce the number of rear-end collisions.
The end goal would be to attach the same stigma associated with impaired driving to distracted driving. In this way, drivers will hopefully take more action to help stop distracted driving.
If you are interested in reading the entire post by Maclean’s, please check out their website.
