Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
– George Carlin, American stand-up comedian
Most of you would have come across drivers on their mobile phones – answering calls, texting, checking their emails, looking at social media or worse still, viewing pornographic materials – while driving. All these ‘shocking’ road acts are not uncommon on Malaysian roads.
But wait, there is an even more shocking act by some weird Malaysians. Last Tuesday when I was on my way home from an afternoon function I came across a woman, probably a mother, driving with her young baby sitting on her lap between her chest and the wheel. The incident occurred along the busy stretch of Jalan Padungan, Kuching.
I don’t know what the woman was thinking. If she thought it’s okay, she must be on another planet! She was taking her sweet time, driving slowly, and was actually slowing down other road users. A few drivers were blaring their horns, but she didn’t care two hoots about them.
To rub salt to the wound, the woman appeared to be talking on her handsfree cell phone.
I thought of using my cell phone to capture the act on video; but I would be guilty of breaking the law myself, wouldn’t I? Well, I am sure others would have taken snapshots of the incident. Hopefully, they will viral the shots on social media so that the authorities could act against her!
The woman was not only putting her child and herself at risk of injury, she was putting the lives of other road users in danger too.
The whole incident is really shocking. It reflects the mentality of Malaysian drivers.
It’s no wonder Malaysians have to live with the ignominy of being known as the world’s worst drivers, according to The Driving School Blog – a site that teachers people to drive safely.
It’s about time Malaysians thought long and hard about their behaviour behind the wheel. Many may not realise that they are putting lives in danger by speeding, driving in boneshakers that are fit only for the junkyards or driving under the influence of alcohol.
To make matters worse we have Mat Rempit and their female counterparts Minah Rempit creating havoc on the roads for some time now, especially in Malaya. Looks like our law enforcers have already lost control of these road menaces. These scourge of the roads should have been nipped in the bud right from the beginning; can’t fathom why the law enforces didn’t curb them!
Anyway, let’s get back to the original topic in question – driving distractions.
Studies have shown that distracted driving is a common cause of road accidents worldwide. Driving distracted and not focusing on the road increases the risk of being involved in accidents. This is a fact that we all have to take note.
A national tabloid, The Star, in its July 23 edition quoted Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) chairman Dr Wong Shaw Voon as saying that distracted driving is a significant road safety concern because it diverts the driver’s attention from the road and increases the risk of accidents.
Said Dr Wong: “Activities that take a driver’s focus away from driving, even a momentary glance away from the road, can have serious consequences.
“No doubt, many motorists feel competent and have ‘practised’ to the point where they are proficient enough to reply to a text message, eat, put on make-up, or take a sip of water, while holding the steering wheel with one hand.
“When you think you are proficient enough to drive with one hand and do other things with the other, you are jeopardising the safety of other road users.”
So, what are the common causes of driver distraction? I have five on my list.
On top of the list is using a mobile phone. Using a mobile phone while driving is very dangerous. When you text while driving, for example, you are putting yourself and other drivers at risk. Experts say even reaching for your mobile phone increases your risk of an accident by nine-fold.
According to findings, taking our eyes and hands off the wheel to look at our phone for just two seconds is dangerous as it is enough to cause an accident.
Another distraction is pets. It is best not to allow any passengers to bring pets into the vehicle. Pets can distract the driver and cause a collision. This is especially true for younger drivers. Focus on driving, and don’t look elsewhere.
Eating and drinking in the vehicle is dangerous, and not many are aware of this.A study in the United States revealed that drivers who eat or drink are nearly four times more likely to get into an accident than drivers who focus only on driving.
Adjusting vehicle settings while driving is also another major distraction. For example, fiddling with the radio, looking at the GPS or adjusting the mirrors while driving take the driver’s eyes off the road.
In fact drivers should make sure they get all their settings adjusted before they start driving.
Of course the mother of all distractions are babies. Never never allow babies or a young child in the car if the driver is not accompanied by another adult! And always make sure the vehicle is equipped with ‘baby safety seats’.
Also it’s ridiculous to have the child seat on the driver’s lap!
We have to realise that distracted driving is nearly as dangerous as drink driving. So, focus on what’s in front of you and think of your safety and the safety of other road users.
Before I end, I would list down the reasons why Malaysians are considered the world’s worst drivers! The Driving School Blog lists nine reasons:
- Malaysian drivers possess poor discipline.
- Overtaking on the left side of the road.
- Some drivers do not seem to respect traffic lights.
- Failure to stop at junctions.
- Speeding.
- Not wearing safety helmets.
- Not stopping at pedestrian crossings.
- Failure to give signals when turning.
- Overtaking at double lines.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
