One Split Second: The Distracted Driving Epidemic - How It Kills and How We Can Fix It

by Vijay Dixit, Antonia Felix

Our addiction to cell phones has made distracted driving a national epidemic. State patrol officers who deal with crashes every day see the phone as the new “open bottle” in the car that makes drivers impaired and dangerous. Add phones and other devices to the many types of distraction we already face—from tuning the radio to drinking coffee behind the wheel—and we have a crisis. But this crisis can be turned back if drivers make the right choice, the safe choice. One Split Second can help drivers make that best choice. This book is a one-of-a-kind resource that brings together real-life stories, facts and figures, fascinating research about our behavior behind the wheel, and expert perspectives on how we can end the distraction epidemic. It is a book no driver can live without.

208 pages, Paperback

Published February 28, 2016

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read for everyone who drives and who rides as a passenger in vehicles. Vijay Dixit has personal experience of how distracted driving kills. His daughter, Shreya, was a passenger in a vehicle when the driver reached for a napkin. Reaching for the napkin caused the driver to get in an accident and Shreya died from her injuries. Dixit also mentions what happened to David Riggs, the son of my friends Peggy and Craig. David was riding on his scooter when a driver who was texting hit him. David died from his injuries. I will not go into too much detail over the stories and facts in this book. I will say that everyone should read this book. One of the most eye opening parts of the book is learning that features in cars like hands free calling are not any safer than if you are holding your phone to talk or text. Talking on the phone using a hands free feature while driving is still causing you to be distracted. I have used the hands free feature in my car while driving. I am never going to use it again. This book is an eye opener for all of the things that a driver can be distracted by. I know reading this book is going to make me a better and safer driver. I hope that if anyone is going to be distracted by a phone call, text, adjusting the radio or looking at a GPS device, that people will think before they do this that they are operating a vehicle that can take someone's life. Think about how you would feel if you hit and killed someone because you were distracted. Think how that would change your life and the lives of everyone who loves the person who was killed. Most of the facts in this book are for the state of Minnesota. However, this book is relevant to everyone no matter where you live. Everyone should pledge to drive distraction free for the safety of themselves, passengers in your vehicle and everyone else on the road.