Published: August 10, 2009 02:31 pm      

Points to Ponder

Study concludes: Keep your eyes on the road

I probably spend far too much time contemplating the human race’s levels of stubbornness and thick headiness. While we have achieved incredible cognitive milestones in the short time humans have dominated the planet, we still require sophisticated scientific studies in order to conclude the obvious.

Once again, thanks to top scientific minds a question that has riddled both parents and legislators is finally resolved - a study showing that texting while driving really is dangerous.

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute has found that texting while driving is actually far more dangerous than earlier studies have shown. Basically, the new study indicated that drivers sending or receiving text messages take their eyes off the road much longer than they do when talking or listening on their cell phones.

How can the driver keep his or her eyes on the road and on the message screen at the same time? And why do we need a scientific study to help us conclude that taking our eyes off the road while driving is hazardous?

The institute used cameras to continuously observe light vehicle drivers and truckers for more than 6 million miles. It found that the collision risk for drivers of heavy trucks who sent text messages went up 23 times over those drivers who did not use texting devices.

Dialing a cell phone and using or reaching for an electronic device increased risk of collision about six times in cars and trucks.

Among other things found in the study was this little tidbit that those who do text behind the wheel should consider carefully: prior to a crash or near collision, drivers spent nearly five seconds looking at their devices. At 55 mph, that’s enough time to cover more than the length of a football field.

That means the vehicle on a busy highway is on autopilot for about 100 yards.

The institute study said that “talking/listening to a cell phone allowed drivers to keep their eyes on the road and were not associated with an increased safety risk to nearly the same degree as drivers sending text messages.”

Bottom line for the study: “These results show conclusively that a real key to significantly improving safety is keeping your eyes on the road.”

Driving instructors and parents have preached that for years. But with the advent of cell phones, first, and the text messaging that has followed, keeping one’s eyes on the road doesn’t seem to carry the same importance.

It should. And now the debate is rolling around that texting should be banned for all drivers and not just prohibited for newly licensed teen drivers.

What bamboozles me about the debate over the need for laws to ban texting while driving is that there is ACTUALLY a DEBATE over the need for laws to ban texting while driving.

First off, you’d think you wouldn’t need a law - that simple logic would dictate it’s unsafe to divert attention to a tiny keyboard and screen while simultaneously piloting two tons of metal on the freeway or community streets with children playing. Void of any common sense were you’d think lawmakers would have rushed to instill tough laws.

Text messaging while driving is an unacceptable road hazard. Where common sense doesn't prevail, laws are needed to protect the public and keep roadways safe.

Armand Nardi is the publisher of the Gainesville Daily Register. He can be contacted at anardi@ntin.net.