What is it with all the distracted driver lately.

[RandyT]

This just happened in my area on Wednesday and left the interstate closed in one direction for over 24 hours

MSN

And that same day I had to dodge 3 drivers that about hit me head on because they were on the wrong side of the road. And I wan't even 10 miles from home at that point. And another 10 miles down the road had a car pass me and 2 other vehicles in a no passing zone.

 

[Paystar]

Well for starters, how about the fact that every new vehicle has a giant touch screen television built into the dash now. But they tell you don't drive distracted.
Me personally, I'm less distracted holding my phone to my ear than I am trying to navigate the hundred buttons on my steering wheel and all all the digital crap on the dash.

 

[dodge man]

I’m from Illinois and have driven that stretch a lot in the past but not much lately. As I recall it was that area where I came across a lady driving the wrong way down the interstate. I assume she used an exit ramp as an entrance ramp. When she flew past me I had slowed way down and just held my finger down on the horn. I think I saw her brake lights come on as she passed me and went over a hill.

 

[RandyT]

I’m from Illinois and have driven that stretch a lot in the past but not much lately. As I recall it was that area where I came across a lady driving the wrong way down the interstate. I assume she used an exit ramp as an entrance ramp. When she flew past me I had slowed way down and just held my finger down on the horn. I think I saw her brake lights come on as she passed me and went over a hill.

The truth is if I70 is under construction you need to just stay off of it if possible. Construction in the Montrose area has slowed down, but there was a period where Montrose fire was staging a fire truck on the highway to handle the 3-5 accidents/day.

That big anhydrous spill in Teutopolis a few years back that resulted in those death was a side effect from I70 being closed due to an accident and having to reroute traffic onto US40.

A few years ago when the Fayette county section was under construction you could guarantee that there would be at least 1 fatality/week in a 8 certain 8 mile section.

 

[RandyT]

Well for starters, how about the fact that every new vehicle has a giant touch screen television built into the dash now. But they tell you don't drive distracted.
Me personally, I'm less distracted holding my phone to my ear than I am trying to navigate the hundred buttons on my steering wheel and all all the digital crap on the dash.

They need to lockout the screen when the vehicle is moving. Funny thing is we didn't have as many accidents back when we had knobs on the dash to control everything from the radio to the heater.

 

[Tinhack]

Yep. Cell phones and touch screens are are only two of the reasons I hate driving to the big city. There are many others including people that are driving with no license or insurance. I see expired registrations all the time in San Antonio. It's like the police are too busy chasing shop lifters or ducking bullets. If the powers that be want an open range, we should go back to Bounty Hunting.

On a side note: I just saw a video about the 10 most dangerous cities in Texas. San Antonio was Number 3.

 

[2manyrocks]

Traffic in my area is 6x what it used to be and drivers are more aggressive. Was sitting at a red traffic light on the four lane by Walmart. Dude in the lane beside me floored it when the light turned green. Guess he was too distracted to notice the state trooper behind him.....

 

[oldnslo]

How many people are more concerned about the GPS screen or talking on phone vs looking through the windshield? From what I have observed it seems like a growing majority of drivers are.

 

[KennyG]

I grew up in that area before I70 was completed. It might be something in the air. Back then the route was US 40. A lot of people wouldn't drive it because it was known as the "killer highway".

 

[Dftodd]

I had someone pass me on the interstate yesterday with their phone plastered in front of their face. Caught up to them when they were exiting the interstate. Phone was in the same place.

Had someone cut me off one morning a couple weeks ago. Merging onto the interstate while texting on their phone.

They pulled in front of me doing 30 under the speed limit forcing me to slam on the brakes.

Kicked the beacon lights on after I got slowed down.

Person got their head out of their butt once the flashing lights caught their attention. I was so close once I got the truck slowed down, I couldn't see their back glass.

Everytime i'm on the road, I see vehicles impeding traffic and driving erratically, 99% of them are messing with their phones.