We all do it, though we know we shouldn’t.
We hear the buzz of our smart phones and can’t resist — the suspense is just too much. We think, “What’s the harm?”
After all, it could be an important message from work or a family member (or more likely a funny meme from a friend).
We think, “Traffic isn’t that heavy — I’ll just take a look and type a quick ‘C U Soon.’”
However, that quick glance might not be as fleeting as we imagine. According to Washington State Patrol trooper Will Finn, the public information officer for southwest Washington, a person takes their eyes off the road for an average of 27 seconds to send a text while driving. At the relatively slow speed of 25 miles per hour, Finn says a driver could cross “three football fields” in that span of time.
Needless to say, a lot could happen in that distance. Does that make you think twice about sending a text behind the wheel?
According to a recent survey from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission on women drivers between 16 and 34 years old — statistically the most likely to be involved in fatal crashes related to distracted driving — it won’t.
The study showed 96 percent of respondents believe using a cell phone while driving is dangerous, but 64 percent said they still answer a ringing phone while driving and 48 percent admit to reading a text while on the road.
Despite the state’s new E-DUI law, imposing steep fines for using a phone while driving, troopers are still seeing drivers absorbed in the latest app when their eyes should be on the road and their hands on the steering wheel, Finn said.
“It’s an increasing behavior on the roadway that is extremely dangerous,” Finn told The Chronicle this week as part of notification for a statewide emphasis patrol by the Washington State Patrol to catch distracted drivers.
The emphasis coincides with the designation of April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month in Washington by the WTSC. Troopers plan to work with 150 other law enforcement agencies across the state to catch drivers who still flout the E-DUI law nearly a year after it took effect.
We all do it, but we need to stop — and not just because there’s a greater chance of getting caught and ticketed this month. Our position along one of the fastest stretches of Washington’s I-5 corridor means Lewis County drivers should be especially careful, but Finn’s example means we can’t take our safety for granted on sleepy side streets either.
So for Distracted Driving Awareness Month and beyond, peel your eyes of the screen and pay attention to the road.
