Don’t text and drive

There were declines in Southland and Waitakere but an increase in offences in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and the Otago Lakes District.

No one wants more fatalities on the roads. The country has already expressed absolute horror at the road toll that keeps climbing.

When did we become such a bunch of distracted drivers? There’s no doubt, a fair number of drivers are guilty of checking mobile phones while driving.

There’s a growing backlash to the ability of ‘‘multi-tasking’’ and studies are finding the methodical, get-one-job-done-and-focus mentality is far more productive than filtering across multiple jobs.

Does this also need to filter across to our driving habits? Are they so bad because we’ve become too distracted?

Do you remember in years gone by (and yes this is going back quite a few years) of being told by your parents to be ‘‘quiet’’ in the car because ‘‘your father is driving’’?

Will it take good old-fashioned discipline to sort our focus? Or, do the laws around mobile devices need to be hardened up?

It is against the law to use a handheld cellphone while driving, but the current legislation does allow the use of hands-free mobile phones. So, should it just become zero phones while driving?

Because McKennie’s plea for drivers not to be distracted appears to be falling on deaf ears.

Police recommend drivers minimise the potential for distraction by switching phones off while driving, or pulling over to make or receive calls.

McKennie says studies had shown drivers doubled their risk of crash involvement while texting

‘‘Every time you’re in a vehicle it’s important to remember to take care and drive to the conditions – don’t speed and don’t get distracted by your mobile phone,’’ he says.

Surely it’s common sense. But sadly, it’s common sense that appears to be disappearing from our decision-making.