The deceased 26 year old young woman was talking on her mobile phone to her boyfriend who heard the crash over the phone and rushed to the site in Narrabeen. It took only minutes for him, along with her father and close relatives to be on the scene.
Once again it illustrated the value of the warnings of talking on a mobile phone when driving, whether it be hand held or fixed, as the concentration associated with the telephone conversation could be the milli-second of time separating life from death.
In January this year Christian Today ran a story titled "Drivers who use mobile phones engage in other dangerous habits, research finds".
It read: Motorists who use their mobile phones while driving are more likely to commit other driving sins, a survey has found. According to research by the US-based AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, more than two-thirds of drivers admitted to talking on the phone while driving in the last month.
This was despite the vast majority (89%) saying they felt other drivers using mobile phones were a threat to their personal safety.
"Ninety percent of respondents believe that distracted driving is a somewhat or much bigger problem today than it was three years ago, yet they themselves continue to engage in the same activities," said Peter Kissinger, President and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
The research found that motorists who admitted to using their mobile phones fairly often or regularly were also more likely to engage in other risky driving behaviours.
The survey found:
- 65 percent also reported speeding
- 44 percent also reported driving while drowsy
- 53 percent also reported sending a text or email
- 29 percent also drove without a safety belt
Conversely, drivers who reported never using a mobile while driving were far less likely to report additional risky behaviours:
- 31 percent reported speeding
- 14 percent reported driving drowsy
- 3 percent reported sending a text or email
- 16 percent drove without a safety belt
There was strong disapproval towards texting and emailing while driving (95%), although worryingly, nearly two-thirds of 16 to 24-year-olds (61%) admitted to reading a text or email while driving.
Over a quarter of those surveyed (26%) said they had checked or updated social media while driving in the past month.
"Every time you get behind the wheel and engage in risky driving behaviors, you're endangering your life and that of others on the road," said Beth Mosher, director of public affairs for AAA Chicago.
"Distracted driving crashes are preventable tragedies and we must all take personal responsibility to fully focus on the task of driving."
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at
www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
