Simply don’t take your eyes off road

We are finally concentrating on the killer subject of distracted driving. I shouldn’t have to define Distracted Driver Syndrome for you because you know you are guilty of it very day, and I am too. Well, most of the attention regarding DDS is directed to cellphones, but equally dangerous are such distractions as snacking, conversations, arguments, fingernail painting, trimming and other cosmetic attentions, and anything else that takes your eyes off the road for the briefest interval.

Time was when there were fewer cars on the road and the distance between them was greater, but even then with higher allowable speeds and there were far too many accidents. We were running about 50,000 highway deaths every year back then. Now I guess it is down to about 35,000. But we can do better.

The temptation to eat a sandwich or answer a phone while driving is sometimes too great to ignore. So what is the answer? First we must discipline ourselves to the idea that driving is a full-time job, but that is not enough. The minute you take your eyes off the road ahead you are potentially in trouble. So there is your answer! It was so simple wasn’t it? It is called something called Visual Recognition Technology (VRT). The science is there. It can determine when your eyes veer off a designated area a few degrees. It can activate a signal. The signal may be an electric shock, a pin prick, a flashing light or a horn blast.

You guys decide which is best. I did my part, now you do yours. Don’t bother to thank me for saving your life. I just wanted to save my own.

Joseph Russell Vannier

Hoffman Estates