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.

 

[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.

 

[Dftodd]

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.....

You can get up to speed as fast as you want. It's going over that speed that will get you a ticket.

 

[Dftodd]

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.

My display in the truck is about 6" so I got a really good view when I have maps up.

For me, it's a glance at the screen about the same lengh of time as it takes to check the speedometer. Then i'm back looking ahead, checking mirrors, checking gauges, glancing at the back up camera to make sure my trailers still good, etc.....

 

[BleedingOrange]

Dftodd what truck have you got to be able to use the backup camera like that when hauling a trailer ? I,ve got a 2020 F150, but as far as I know, I don,t think I have that nice feature.

 

[Dftodd]

Dftodd what truck have you got to be able to use the backup camera like that when hauling a trailer ? I,ve got a 2020 F150, but as far as I know, I don,t think I have that nice feature.

Our service trucks and flat beds have after market back up cameras installed when the trucks were outfitted.

The newer ones also have blind spot cameras as well that come on when the turn signal is activated.

The camera is triggered by the back up lights normally, but you can also turn it on manually by pressing the power button on the display that replaced the rear view mirror.

Our 2023 dodge service truck, you can press a button on the dash and it will pop up the factory backup camera on the factory display.

Newer vehicles come with that same feature as the 23 dodge. My wife's 23 santefe has that same button on the console you can push to activate the rear backup camera while your driving.

Our shop f150s have it as well 23 thru 25 year models.

 

[Paystar]

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.

I wanna know how some people get their license. The day I was trailering my tractors home from the last parade I was on a divided highway and I suddenly had a new citizen of Canada go flying past me in the left lane going the wrong way down the highway!!!
Then same day I crest a rise and there was a transport that missed his turn so instead of going a bit further to the next intersection to turn around, he was reversing down the highway and unable to do so in a straight line. He was weaving shoulder to shoulder.

 

[BleedingOrange]

My guess re these new drivers is they are being tested by one of their own, and if you pay enough cash, the paperwork gets complete. It has very little to do with them being actually able to drive the rigs they are driving. I drive on the 401 highway in our area, and every time I am out there, you can observe several tractor trailers swerving 2 ft over the center line and then shortly after 2 ft over the right shoulder. I dislike being near those types of drivers, so when the coast is clear, I safely pass them.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Seems to me to be a plus for self driving cars.

 

[D&D]

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.

In car entertainment (phone and car) How many are a little weed, booze and/or prescription meds so that they're driving in a fog. People are in a huge hurry to go nowhere really fast. Lane weaving means they will get there 15-30 seconds before you, 45 if they use the shoulder to pass.
ANY big truck or truck and trailer combo has to be passed

 

[Paystar]

My guess re these new drivers is they are being tested by one of their own, and if you pay enough cash, the paperwork gets complete. It has very little to do with them being actually able to drive the rigs they are driving. I drive on the 401 highway in our area, and every time I am out there, you can observe several tractor trailers swerving 2 ft over the center line and then shortly after 2 ft over the right shoulder. I dislike being near those types of drivers, so when the coast is clear, I safely pass them.

Yep, when I was running the 401 corridor with my highway truck I had the speed limiter disabled just so I could get away from them when they got up beside you and started swerving in and out of their lane.

 

[John0829]

There are a LOT of people driving on the roads that should not be and as aggravation and as much as it would be a PIA I think everyone should be required to pass the driving test at renewal instead of just walking in an laying yer money down.

Also cell phones should be required to NOT receive calls or texts when a vehicle is moving above a walking pace and finally grandpa or grandma or anyone for that matter, driving a mega RV should have to pass a driving test to prove they can handle it.