What NOT to do while Driving-Texting and more.....

I'm big on multi-tasking. I eat, surf the web, talk on the phone and watch T.V. all at the same time. To me, this seems normal. Recently I found that muli-tasking is not so normal. According the David E. Meyer, at the University of Michigan brain and cognition research center, humans were not born to multi-task. When we try to do two tasks or more at the same time, we error more frequently. Yet multi-tasking has become the norm for most. So much so that our brains are use to the over excitation that multi-tasking brings. Sometimes I feel like I'm not getting much accomplished doing one task at a time. But driving is different, for the most part it's a one task operation. I remember what my driver's education instructor told me years ago: always keep your eyes on the road. Simple enough right? No, not some much. Since we have been programmed to multi-task at all other facets of our lives, the desire to multi-task behind the wheel is strong. We begin to think we need to answer the cell, text, eat, discipline our children, read the newspaper, and so on all the while driving.

In recent years text messaging has become as popular as talking on a cell phone, especially among young people. One of the advantages text messaging has over the cell is the ability to have a quite conversation anywhere. Many cell plans offer unlimited text for a flat rate, or as a free add on. With text messaging there is no worries over poor phone reception, since it's all about the type and read. Everywhere I go, I see people texting. At work, the mall and at the gym . One texting soul I encountered the at the grocery store was holding up the checkout line. I cleared my throat a few times to get his attention. He said sorry and moved along. No harm done. Unfortunately, texting while driving isn't the same scenario. When texting at least one hand is off the wheel to type and both eyes are off the road for typing and reading an incoming message. It's alarming to know the cause of so many auto accidents is text messaging while driving. After one bad accident caused by texting, a police officer demanded to read the text. It read: John:"What's up?", Jim:"Not much, just rolling". It's sad to think this messaging was the cause of a double fatality. Text messaging while driving has become a public hazard and is now banned in many states. Yet, to spite the risks, some still text while driving.

Another popular pastime while driving is talking on the cell phone. On a long ride to chat with family or a friend can curb loneliness and boredom. It is true that we can look straight ahead while talking on the cell phone. However, using a phone while driving is dangerous. Statistics show an increase in auto accidents due to cell phone usage in recent years. Some states have banned hand held cell phone usage in the car. If you think about it, our visibility, at least from side to side is compromised by talking on a cell phone. It's harder for the neck and head to move freely. Some use a blue tooth or another form of hands free cell. This seems safer but studies show that when a person is talking on a hands free cell phone while driving, they are still distracted. Talking on the cell is not the same as talking to someone who is in the vehicle next to you.

Everyone I know, including myself, eats in the car. This is a bad habit, I know. Eating in the car has been the norm since the invention of the drive-thru. Most cars come equipped with cup holders for this very reason. But eating and drinking while driving is a dangerous distraction. In many auto accidents the cause has been eating while driving. A friend of mine wrecked her week old, new car while reaching for a Little Debbie snake, driving in a parking lot. She hit a pole and no one was hurt. But still, this accident was unnecessary and could have been easily avoided by taking time to stop the car to eat that Little Debbie snack. It's not only eating and drinking that can cause problems while driving. I don't know how many times I've noticed someone trying to read a newspaper while driving on the morning commute. This behavior ranks right up there with texting while driving. It's very dangerous and there is no way to keep your eyes on the road and on a newspaper at same time. Another risky behavior I've witness on the road is people trying to discipline their children while driving. You know, when the parent's head is turned, an arm is extended and a finger is pointing into the back seat. This situation is better handled with the car stopped and the kids will behave better when you give them full attention.

All and all, driving is pretty much a one task operation. When we keep our eyes on the road ahead and both hands on the wheel, everyone benefits. We all want to arrive at our destination safely. When we ride on a bus, train or in an airplane we expect the driver or pilot to be alert and use all safety precautions possible. Yet when we are our own drivers and pilots of the family car, we take unnecessary risks. Why? Multi-tasking.