The "Just Drive" Campaign

What is the Hold Up?

It takes two and a half minutes to drive from the intersection of Lambert Road and Butterfield to my preferred parking space in Lot G. In order to achieve this, I must hit all the green lights and traffic needs to be moving at five miles over the posted limit. Due to distracted drivers around me, it is seldom I make it to class on time. Many drivers consistently allow themselves to be distracted from the most important task of driving, causing delays, stress and unsafe driving conditions for other drivers as well. Statistics show the negative, and sometimes, fatal results of preoccupied drivers yet a serious intervention has not yet been made.

Waste of Time

Many drivers subscribe to a severely flawed belief: Giving one's undivided attention to traffic is a waste of precious time. To expedite daily tasks drivers are seen text messaging, talking on the phone, reading the sports section, balancing a checkbook, applying makeup or daydreaming while in the driver's seat. Along with gaper's delay, these are pastimes that have become costly nuisances and safety hazards to other commuters. The Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles states that “driver distractions or inattentive driving play a part in one out of every four motor vehicle crashes. That's more than 1.5 million collisions in a year--more than 4,300 crashes each day [and that] using a cell phone while driving increases your chance of getting into a crash by 400 percent” (State of Illinois).

Brake Lights, Where is the Stop Sign?

When a driver's attention is diverted from the road, a natural tendency is to hit the brake,

usually unaware of doing so. The ripple effect of cars causes delays, road rage and car accidents. There are not any “unconsciously skilled” drivers. Operating a motor vehicle is often taken lightly by seasoned drivers and deemed second nature. This is a dangerous idea that leads the driver to feel too comfortable being distracted leading to unsafe driving conditions.

Commuters

The most dangerous distracted drivers are commuters. The regularity of the commuter's route lends to unconscious and preoccupied behavior because the driver is comfortable, familiar, and may take more risks on the road. It seems that on most days, at least one car accident can be found on the commuter highways into Chicago effectively delaying hundreds of other commuters. The probable cause is a commuter who was distracted during her daily mundane drive to work.

“Just Drive” Campaign

Spreading awareness that drivers are in fact unaware could promote fewer distracted drivers. The effect would cause drivers to more frequently arrive at a destination safely, on time and less stressed. Manufacturing “Just Drive” window decals would be a useful tool suggesting drivers' voluntary compliance to limiting distraction levels while commuting. Suggesting an action while invoking humor or empathy would persuade drivers to pay more attention to the road. Companies wishing to advertise and promote driver consciousness and awareness could partner with the State of Illinois or AAA to design a decal to give as compliments to their patrons:

Just Drive: I'm on my way to Kinder Care

Just Drive: I have a tee time at Arrowhead

Just Drive: I'm bringing the Heineken

Just Drive: First pitch is at 1:05 Go Cubs!

At about $1.25 each (School Pride), these decals would be an affordable alternative to other advertisement media a business may be currently using. The current rate to run a full page ad in

the Sunday Chicago Tribune for twelve weeks costs over $6,000 (Rates). At this price, a company could decal nearly 5,000 vehicles while promoting safe, more efficient driving practices.

Opposition

Opposition may arise from a driver dependent on commute time as a venue to complete work. Many employees feel they gain an edge by working during their commute. However, attempting to gain this edge may cause an accident. Distractions can lead to fatal car crashes. The AAA reports that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for Americans ages 2-32 years old (2008). Some may argue that looking at a decal in a vehicle's rear window is a distraction. If a driver is being safe, she will be looking at the vehicle's rear window to see when to accelerate or slow down. The rear window is a safe location to place these decals.

Employer Responsibility

Flex-time or regulations against unsafe driving behavior should be adopted at all companies, for all employees, on or off duty. BP Products of North America requires all driver and non-driver employees to periodically sign a safe driving promissory note to promote safe driving for all employees, on or off the duty. It requires that drivers are not distracted, do not travel over the speed limit and maintain courtesy while driving at all times (Safety Minute).

Ticketed in Chicago

In 2005. attempting to promote safe driving, the City of Chicago banned cell phone usage while driving. Driving while talking on the phone warrants a ticket of $75, $200 if an accident results (Mobile Crunch). The City of Chicago allows drivers to utilize a hands-free device for a cell phone while driving, which allows both hands to stay on the steering wheel. However, drivers are still distracted while using a hands free device because attention is still being drawn away from the road. Cyberdriveillinois.com urges drivers to “limit interactions with passengers, avoid talking while driving, avoid taking your eyes off of the road [and to] keep both hands on the wheel” (State of Illinois) among other requests. If made readily available for drivers to read, instead of

hidden on a website, this list could be useful. Blatant advertising is the key to driving excessive awareness to stop distracted drivers.

Call To Action

“Just Drive” decals would promote awareness to a driving population plagued with distracting habits. The decals would be free to commuters, economical advertisements for businesses and aid in the promotion of safer driving practices. The State of Illinois should implement a program like this in conjunction with the State's current reports on traffic safety. If we make this problem a priority, we can arrive on time, arrive safely, arrive alive.