I have been recently scanning through news articles while I am surfing the internet on my laptop. I have come across a few eye opening articles that really disturbed me.
I have always known that there are careless drivers on the roads but did not realize how this careless activity has led to tradegies and deaths. I am not talking about driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol but driving while talking on the phone, putting on makeup, eating or drinking coffee. This distractions have caused more than severe accidents but deaths as well.
I came across an article titled FHP Says Driver Was On Phone During Crash That Killed Teen Girl. The article specifically talks about the carelessness of a truck driver who smashed into the rear of the bus. It states that "there were 21 students on the school bus when it crashed" (wftv.com) An eyewitness told reporters that the bus went up into flames and the kids had to be rescued. The part of the article which was most disturbing is the fact that "the bus driver and eight students were injured. Frances Schee, 13, died. She was an eighth grade student at North Marion Middle School. Of the eight injuries, four were released and four remain in critical condition" (wftv.com) It is saddening and devastating.
Reinaldo Andujar Gonzalez, the bus driver, will have to live with this burden for the rest of his life. There are pending charges against Gonzalez and the investigation is said to take "up to 45 days" (wftv.com). Is it really worth it participate in these distractions if it could turn into a destructive accident? I recommend looking at the video I attached which gives more detail about the incident. I know next time I get into a car, I will be concentrating on one thing only: DRIVING!
I am definitely guilty of not paying attention on the road. I usually have the music blaring and girls talking over each other as I struggle to get solid directions from one person. A funny personal driving story happened when I was coming back from basketball practice. I was sitting at a light with my friend in shotgun and another teammate in the back. I put my head down and slightly let up on the brakes as I reached for a CD case. BUMP. I hit the black BMW in front of me. So, I frantically throw the car in reverse hitting the car behind me. It was a ridiculous experience. My teammates, in the cars behind and in front of me, weren't too pleased with me but there was no damage...Thank God! It goes to show you how while behind the wheel you have to be really careful and paying attention all the time. Does anyone have some careless driving stories? Funny or not so funny?
3 comments:
This is such a sad and scary thing to think about. The idea that a life could be taken on the simple careless mistake of a driver is shocking to me. Having personally known someone who was killed from an accident that didn't involve drinking or drugs it is mind boggling to see people making out their habits while driving. Driving is a task that needs 100 percent of someone's focus, not 50 or 75. You are going to fast and risking to much to worrying about something other than your car. It's called defensive driving for a reason you're not only putting yourself at risk but also those around you. This is a great topic and an issue that needs to be addressed more.
I read an intresting article awhile back that talking on your cell phone while driving is the same as being at the legal limit of intoxication while driving. I can think of plenty of times that I've talked on my cell phone while driving and absentmidly changed lanes. I couldn't agree more with what you've said and what littlecoe4 said about driving being a task that requires complete concentration. My second car accident I was distracted and wound up totaling my car. I agree this is an important issue that needs more public outcry. However with many states now implementing anti cell phone laws and often making kids wait longer to get drivers lisences it seems that the issue is being addressed. However I think that more public attention should be paid to driving carefully and particularly younger drivers and finding ways to prevent accidents.
My compliments on your excellent blog. On the driving post; everyone needs to take driving more seriously. I've been reading an interesting blog by a guy named Tom Vanderbilt, the author of a book called Traffic. It's all about how we drive, and How We Drive is the name of the blog. He's recently written about an idea proposed in a NYT op-ed piece: We could reduce the number of fatalities if manufacturers would limit the speed an automobile can go --see "The Need for Speed."
Post a Comment