We all know that we shouldn’t be using mobile phones or other electronic equipment behind the wheel – aside from considerations of the result being an endorsable fixed penalty notice (e.g. one that’ll give you points on your licence), there’s the ever-present danger that by doing so, the driver’s attention is distracted and a crash could result.
The Mail Online is reporting that there’s been a rise in the number of deaths of young drivers, for exactly this reason. Younger drivers are seemingly more likely to ignore the law and pick up their phones or MP3 players which naturally results in their not being as alert to what is going on as they should be.
Of course, this doesn’t just affect the youth of today but a number of generations – how many times have you seen pedestrians walking across the road paying no attention to traffic due to either being in a large group chatting or with their head in the clouds listening to some music on an iPod?
I firmly believe that the bottom line is road respect. Everyone thinks that it’ll never happen to them – so they quite often act like it too. The young in particular are probably most guilty of this, feeling as though they are invincible due to having any kind of life experience. I may have mentioned this before but I’d be happy to see a compulsory ‘Pass Plus’ style scheme with a speed awareness session thrown in which would apply to all new drivers, whether young or old. It’s the experience that counts after all.
I do agree however, I have only ever had 2 near misses and I was messing around with my car stereo which isn’t illegal but still dangerous. My husband and my sister both had minor accidents for the same thing. It is definately about common sense and it only takes a split second to lose concentration. Compulsory pass plus is a great idea but kids and parents nowadays have to fork out so much for the lessons, theory and tests in addition to astronomical insurance costs, the pass plus should be in with the test or the test should be tougher.