Good morning all,
As noted in a story below, the Delaware Office for Highway Safety is again working to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving with a period of stepped-up enforcement.
During the past several months, the number of phone-wielding motorists has increased. This comes in spite of thousands of fines levied by law enforcement in the state.
Animated handset or hands-free conversations – sometimes with no hands on the wheel – are commonplace. You can also add a coffee, sandwich or a drink cup to this dangerous mix.
Coping with such behavior is an uphill battle with technology running ahead of laws.
While the use of handsets is outlawed, auto companies continue to add large and potentially distracting video displays that are legal, but potentially hazardous for those who geek out on learning about tire pressure or in checking out which pop princess is singing the latest hit.
Some systems are so complex that it may take hours to check out the features. Too many people try to figure things out on the fly while driving.
Vehicles with those big screens sometimes come with collision avoidance systems that may keep the distracted motorist and those around them safer. The downside is thinking that new systems will make up for risky driving habits.
Keep in mind that technology, ranging from red light cameras, cell phone records and onboard recorders can also be part of investigations of serious accidents.
As the late Doors vocalist Jim Morrison once advised on Roadhouse Blues, Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel. Then again, had Jim stuck around, he might be on his cell phone.
Finally, our apologies for filling up your In Box yesterday. A previously scheduled story on a company on a Wilmington company being honored for its financial technology product accidentally slipped ahead of the DuPont name changes.
The newsletter returns tomorrow. – Doug Rainey, publisher
