Motorheads Performance
I normally don't get the chance to post anything on a Saturday because it's such a busy day in the shop. But, I came across some compelling information when doing research for another article I'm working on, and I just felt I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get the word out about the serious risk drivers put themselves in when they choose to text while driving.
According to some reports, texting while driving may even surpass driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI or DWI depending on where you live) in terms of the risk potential to both the driver and other drivers on the road.
One example is a 21 year old college student from Houston, Texas who, according to an autoblog article by Steven J. Ewing, "drove his pickup truck off a bridge, over a cliff and down into a deep ravine." What he wrote as his last text was termed "prophetic", but I think it's chillingly real. Read the whole story, watch video, and learn all about the driver's six months of rehab following a broken neck, crushed face, fractured skull and traumatic brain injuries.
I must admit, I know a few people who insist on texting while they drive. They just don't want to hear about the problem with this. I guess they feel they're superior drivers, and because they may be able to effectively multi-task at work, perhaps they can drive effectively while sending and receiving texts. But statistics don't seem to back up this thought process. These people seem to be real chatty types who probably aren't too comfortable sitting with their own thoughts, which may be why they feel the need to constantly be glued to the keyboard of their cell phones! Whatever the reason, they need to know that they are putting their own safety, and that of other drivers on the road, at real risk. Men's Health magazine reports that texting is the single most dangerous thing a driver can do. With today's high speeds, as we reported in our article Speed Limits & Safety for Classic Cars & Vintage Trucks, the accidents they can cause won't be pretty.
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| Car & Driver Magazine |
A study by Car and Driver Magazine found that texting does delay a driver's reaction time. They found people who texted while driving took nearly one whole second longer in reacting to another car’s brake lights. In comparison, they found that .08 blood alcohol impaired drivers actually responded twice as fast in the same situation!
IcyRoadSafety.com reported the seriousness with 2009 driving statistics:
- 458 people had fatal accidents from icy road conditions
- 448,000 & 5,400 fatal crashes from"distracted driving"
And just what does this have to do with classic cars? Well, it does make me think that because most of the old cars are not equipped with hands-free GPS style units like more and more of our new cars are, drivers may be tempted to text with their phones in hand. That combined with cars that may not have the most up-to-date or best maintained brakes, steering, suspension and other safety equipment, it could be a disaster just waiting to happen, and the odds of a serious accident would be much greater than if you were driving a new vehicle equipped with a half dozen or more airbags! Just take a moment to think about this.
Guy Algar, who is Shop Manager, remembers back to when he grew up working on classic cars and muscle cars in the 70's. "We didn't have any interest in the phone except to call to arrange whose house we were all going to meet at to work on one of our cars. Now, it seems that people can't go down the street without getting on their cell phone or texting someone." It's especially true for the youth, who have known nothing but cell phones. We hope we can get the word out to this especially vulnerable group.
Even if you're fully aware of the risks and would never contemplate texting while YOU drive, consider having a talk with your kids, your nephews and nieces, or family members, friends and loved ones about the risks of texting while driving. Pass on this article and let them see what happened to someone they can relate to. Unfortunately, this problem is going to have to get a lot worse before it gets better.
REFERENCES:
Story Source: autoblog.com
News Sources: WTVR, WHOU-TV, IcyRoadSafety.com, Car & Driver, Men's Health
RESOURCES:
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety - Laws by State
Stop The Texts. Stop The Wrecks
Teen Driver Source
Distraction - Official US Gov't Site for Distracted Driving
Distracted Driving - Info from AAA
Texting While Driving - From the FCC
Texting While Driving - Car & Driver
Dangers of Text Messaging & Driving - By AT&T
Distracted Driving Help
Can You Be Addicted To Texting? - Men'sHealth
2010 Distracted Driving Summit by Consumer Reports
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.