Davis

Being a longtime Davis resident, I rely primarily on bicycle transportation. However, three times this past year, I have had to take evasive action to avoid vehicle drivers who were more interested in their phone conversations than in their driving.

On Tuesday, June 8, between 4 and 7 p.m., I had the occasion to be at the intersection of Covell Boulevard and Pole Line Road. During those three hours, I observed 44 motorists at or driving through the intersection while talking on a cell phone. An additional five drivers were texting.

The AARP driverÕs education class says a driver talking on a cell phone is 25 percent more likely to be involved in an accident. The insurance industry states that 25 percent of all accidents involve drivers talking on a phone or texting. No wonder our insurance rates are so high.

Even though Oprah Winfrey has a Òsign a pledgeÓ program not to use a cell phone while driving, and some states, including California, have passed laws prohibiting the use of cell phones and texting while driving, too many drivers ignore the risk to which they are exposing themselves and their impending victims. Have they so little regard that they have reduced the value of a human life to a trivial phone call or idiot text message? Would you care to visit the family who has lost a loved one to such an event?

There should be a federal law enacted against phone/text driving. If the fines are high enough, then perhaps these drivers might think twice if they knew they would lose all their insurance claims for themselves and their vehicle if theyÕre involved in an accident while talking on a phone. Research shows even Òhands-freeÓ phones are just as distracting to drivers.

These drivers are a nanosecond away from causing an accident, which could cause bodily injury or even death to an innocent victim. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life knowing you caused such pain and suffering just for a phone call?

Where are you, City Council, Sacramento Legislature, Sens. Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein and Rep. Mike Thompson? Why arenÕt you leading on this issue?

Gerald Dickinson

Davis

Comments

comments