Why don't people pay attention while they're driving

[Kteacher]

I'm obeying all the traffic laws, I'm at a complete stop at a stop sign, and wham! someone hits me from behind Luckily no one was hurt, but now I've got to fill out all this paperwork because the other driver wasn't paying attention.
What makes it worse is he never even apologizedMy first traffic accident ever

 

[John VN]

I'm obeying all the traffic laws, I'm at a complete stop at a stop sign, and wham! someone hits me from behind Luckily no one was hurt, but now I've got to fill out all this paperwork because the other driver wasn't paying attention.
What makes it worse is he never even apologizedMy first traffic accident ever

I am sorry to read about your troubles but glad you are relatively OK. I believe the attention span of many of today's drivers is severely lacking and part of this is due to distractions.

e.g. 2 1/2 years ago DW and I were rear-ended. Stopped at red light, 55mph road, driver says he bent down to pick-up pack of cigarettes while light was green. NOT!!! He never applied brakes and drove into our trunk pushing both of us through the intersection and then some. DW wound up in ICU with brain bleed and still is not OK.

Many drivers must also think that signs and lights are just suggestions.

 

[PeterPan09]

Was he on his cellphone???

That drives me crazy down here-nobody uses bluetooth or headsets. They're all driving with the phone on their neck or in their hands. I swear, if anyone ever hits me-I'm making sure my lawyer pulls their cellphone records.

 

[Katie's Butterflies]

That’s horrible!

Honestly though, I don’t blame them for not apologizing (one thing I’ve been told throughout my education-even classes that have nothing to do with driving - is to never apologize even if it is my fault.) However, did he at least ask if you were ok? If not,

I was in an accident where the driver was texting. Apparently that message was more important than paying attention to the road

 

[Angelhalo]

You should never apologize and admit guilt even if you are at fault. He should have at least asked you if you were ok though. Sorry OP, I feel your pain. I am a magnet for idiot drivers. In the past 2 years I've been in 3 wrecks. All were the other driver's fault, and recorded as such on all the policework etc. Its like I'm invisible or something!

 

[Kteacher]

he was more worried about his car-I also found out fro listening to the conversation between him, his wife, and the cop that his wife is the daughter of the police chief

 

[Art 1]

Don't know. But if they are under say 25 they are probably texting.

 

[Thumper_Man's Wife]

Because they are too busy paying attention to other things; phone, ipod, etc. When I was in college, I used to freak out at the people that would drive around the small town I lived in while applying make-up at the same time. I just can't see how safe it would be to be applying mascara, having something that close to my eyeball with the possibility of crashing into someone because they weren't paying attention to the road, or for that matter someone crashing into them because they were doing the same thing

I know our state is thinking about putting in a restriction on cell phones state wide. We have it in certain cities but not enough IMO. Of course it would be better if they enforced the law, but what do I know.

 

[laurie31]

Things like this are so scary. I'm glad you are okay.

I had a friend who was rear-ended sitting at a light, when she was 5 months pregnant. The driver was on the phone and "didn't see the light." (or the big ol' SUV sitting there? ) She hit them so hard that her 2 year old, properly restrained in a car seat in the back seat, ended up in ICU and was in a body cast for 8 weeks. My friend couldn't lift her; people from church took turns staying with her to help. At least she didn't lose her baby.

Also, I had a co-worker who was killed last year because someone rear-ended her. She was sitting at a red light and the guy hit her going 90mph. She was restrained in the front seat - she was the driver - and died on the scene. The guy was drunk. He was in a 35mph zone going 90. He never hit the brakes, just slammed into her. We hope she never saw it coming.

Now whenever I'm at a light, I'm always watching in the rear view mirror for idiots, but if there are cars going through the intersection, or if I'm not the first car, I'm not sure what I could do to get out of the way.

 

[AshleyW]

Don't know. But if they are under say 25 they are probably texting.

I really hope you're joking.

 

[minkydog]

I feel ya. Did you have to go to the doctor? I got rear-ended by a Budweiser truck 3 years ago. Completely tore up the back of my old van. Budweiser was great about it though. It took 6 weeks to repair. They took it to a shop and issued us a brand new PT Cruiser to tool around in while they fixed it.

I didn't go to the doctor,but I probably should have. I was very sore and had a terrible headache afterward. But no whiplash. He had just started up from a dead stop so speed wasn't an issue. I imagine if he had been going 40mph there would have been a whole 'nother outcome.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Such a bummer but glad you're OK.

Same thing happened to me in the 80s. I was 17 and on my way to school stopped dead at a traffic light. The lady behind me didn't notice that traffic was stopped and plowed into me. She got out and told me she was on her way to physical therapy because she "wrapped her car around a pole" a month earlier!

 

[LoraJ]

I really hope you're joking.

Why? It's what I suspect when people get rear-ended. Although I see more older people doing it around here. Have to constantly check their emails on their blackberry's, texting, not paying attention on the phone. A few weeks ago I saw someone fly through a light that had been red for 10 seconds while they were looking down at their phone. Thank goodness I wasn't at the intersection yet.

Last week DH and I had a car service and the driver was constantly looking at his phone. It looked like we were about to hit the curb. This was in lots of snow and the roads were not in the best condition. I asked him to please stop looking at the phone, it was my biggest pet peeve people texting and driving. He got nasty saying he was not texting, just reading what his next job was. His eyes were still not on the road. Everyone at work that day that had also used the car service had the same complaint.

Kteacher, glad you are okay. Do you suspect they were on the phone or distracted?

 

[Kteacher]

Hard to say if the driver was on a cell. There was a car inbetween us-he rear ended her car pretty badly, then her car got pushed into mine. looks like no citations issued, at least there is nothing mentioned on the accident report

 

[kaytieeldr]

Now whenever I'm at a light, I'm always watching in the rear view mirror for idiots, but if there are cars going through the intersection, or if I'm not the first car, I'm not sure what I could do to get out of the way

When stopped, ALWAYS leave enough room between you and the car in front of you so you can see their rear tires touching the ground. This (ideally) gives you space to maneuver if someone behind you appears not to be stopping.

Now, granted, you have to assess the entire situation - pulling into the opposite lane is probably NOT the best decision, but if you can at least get out of the direct line of attack, it may help.

 

[XTinabell]

How can you really assess if someone is going to stop though? People fly up to the intersection so fast and then slam on breaks at the last minute. I would hate to cause an accident by trying to avoid one when the person was going to stop anyway. But I'm actually serious, is it possible to tell if someone is going to stop or not? I have never been rear ended so that's why I'm clueless.

OP - so glad you're okay. I'm horrified of car accidents and really hate going anywhere for fear of being killed or killing someone else. I would much rather walk but that's not always possible.