Most people have seen strange things happening on the road. Some people have witnessed odd contraptions strapped to the top of vehicles. Other people may have witnessed unusual animals in the passenger seat of cars. While these may offer a source of entertainment on the roadway, they may also strike people as dangerous.
Distracted driving is a serious issue and encompasses much more than simply texting or using a cell phone while driving. Although many states have laws surrounding the limitations around texting or using a cell phone while driving, perhaps these laws should be expanded to encompass other activities. People would be surprised at how creative individuals can be.
Some of the states in the Northeastern United States are considering laws that would ban people from eating while driving. Proponents have lauded the idea as progressive, citing that people cannot be using their hands to both eat and drive at the same time. The very idea of people’s hands leaving the steering wheel while operating a car undoubtedly strike fear into the hearts of many people, and sometimes which, tranforms a merry situation into a mishap that could only leave the passengers incredulous…with bruises and burns with a high chance of fatality. After which, the unfortunate incident be overseen by a california lemon law attorney to sort out the mess.
On the other hand, opponents have criticized the idea as another example of massive government overreach. For people with long commutes and busy schedules, their time in the car might be the only opportunity for them to enjoy a much-needed meal. They also point to the fact that police officers might have extreme difficulty in identifying individuals who are eating while driving. Should this be a primary offense that police officers can use as justification for the blue lights? Or would it be a secondary offense requiring a primary violation for a citation? Furthermore, the opponents contend that there are much more dangerous activities that require the government’s attention first. While eating in the car is a potentially scary issue, there are other activities that people would be shocked to learn about that occur while driving.
Some people have seen the famous scene from the animated show Family Guy where one of the characters attempts to change his shirt while driving on the highway. As anyone can imagine, this doesn’t end well. The car careens off the side of the road and takes out several other cars in a fiery blaze. The idea behind this scene isn’t necessarily to send a political message, but more of a joke to make people laugh; however, its inclusion in the next story is appropriate. Truck drivers face serious scrutiny due to a past track record of driving while tired or under the influence of stimulating drugs because they are often paid by the mile. One truck driver took this to the next level because he tried to change his clothes while driving on the highway, similar to the joke referenced earlier.
A Connecticut truck driver has been suspended from his driving duties by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration because his truck turned over along Interstate 89 in Vermont. This truck driver set his cruise control at 63 miles per hour, a reasonable speed on the highway, and then for some reason decided it would be okay for him to change his pants. Perhaps he thought the cruise control functioned as an autopilot. As if standing up to change his pants during the drive wasn’t enough, a report from the local police further indicated that his blood alcohol content was 0.209. For reference, the legal limit is 0.08. This driver’s blood alcohol content was 2.5 times higher than the legal limit and five times higher than the legal limit for people operating trucks.
Understandably, this driver was charged with two separate counts. One for operating a commercial motor vehicle while under the influence and another for negligent operation of a commercial motor vehicle. He may face other penalties surrounding his failure to uphold his responsibilities as a commercial truck driver.
While much of the national attention has been focused on the dangers of texting while driving, and appropriately so, people should understand that distracted or negligent driving can encompass a wide number of activities, as this story demonstrates. Everyone should take special care to pay attention to their surroundings while driving because distracted driving can cause serious, or even fatal, car accidents.