Have you ever felt the adrenaline rush of
guiding 1000 kgs of metal at speeds of phenomenal velocity? Do you ever feel
the thrill of successfully nailing swerves and turns and dodges preventing near
crushing impacts at extreme rates of flight? Do you get excited when you're
continually seconds from death and in total control of your outcome? Have you
experienced that feeling of supremacy when you guide one tonne of petroleum
monster into a tight squeeze with only the smallest of margins for error?
Well if you think you can't then think
again. Every time you sit yourself behind your steering wheel and drive to the
shops or workplace or to pick up your kids, you perform remarkable acts of life
endangering exercises. We sometimes take for granted the responsibility of
driving our vehicles and occasionally we pay the price. For the most part
driving our car is one of the most life threatening and dangerous activities we
perform and yet we rarely think about the enormity of the risks involved. We only consider the ramifications when we occasionally pass a crash scene and
feel sickened. Funnily enough once we step out of our vehicles and onto our
private driveway we can barely remember or recall anything about the journey.
And yet so many of us think we have a 'right' to be preoccupied doing other
things while undertaking this risk. Examples in the media recently: texting and
talking on mobile phones, applying lip-stick and mascara, searching radio
stations, reading... the list is scarily endless.
“Mobile phones are
the biggest distraction for road users. In 2011-12 Victoria Police issued more
than 55,000 mobile phone infringement notices to drivers, with 20 to 30 year
olds the biggest offenders,” the Assistant Treasurer of Victoria Mr.
Rich-Phillips said.
“Other distractions include using satellite navigation systems,
eating food, putting on makeup while driving or using iPod and MP3 players
while walking, riding and driving.”
Road trauma
costs lives, happiness and money.
Every week around
five people die and almost 100 are seriously injured on Victoria’s roads.
Play your part in
reducing deaths and serious injuries on our roads.
The economic cost of road trauma is estimated to be more than $3
billion a year to the Victorian community.
Each and every person on our roads also has a role to play in
the road safety effort.
There were 282 people who died on Victorian
roads in 2012. So far, 1-3- 2013 there has been 40 deaths. For every death on
our roads consider how many people are affected. How many people are seriously injured? How many families are involved in rehab and care? Consider the impact on emergency
services. What is the true cost? Not just financially but emotionally and
socially.
How would an airplane full of passengers
react if the pilot was busy texting his wife about a dinner date while trying to navigate his plane to land. Stupid analogy? Then consider how many
road users you encounter and endanger if you're driving whilst distracted.
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