Appalled by number of ‘busy’ drivers

I WAS appalled to read that the equivalent of five drivers a week are being stopped in Dundee for driving while distracted.

In four years 1,130 have been issued with an endorsement on their driving licences — 64 of them were caught twice and four were caught three times.

It seems to me this penalty endorsement isn’t making much impact.

I’d be interested to know the ages of the drivers concerned.

I’m guessing, perhaps incorrectly, that the drivers will be younger.

Mobile phones are a major distraction and it’s the younger generation who cannot seem to live without this technology.

Answering the beep or documenting your life on social media seems to take precedence over everything.

It drives me mad to see people sitting at restaurant tables with their phones in their hands rather than talking to the people they are with.

However, rude though that may be, it is not as life-threatening as driving while texting, reading or answering your phone.

Cars can be lethal and full attention has to be given when you are behind the wheel.

A minute’s distraction can lead to a lifetime of pain.

Hopefully the harsher penalties coming in next year will help drivers to think again about using their phones when behind the wheel.

On-the-spot fines will double to £200 and drivers will have six penalty points added to their licences.

However it’s incredibly sad that just a little awareness of the people and world around their cars isn’t enough in itself to make drivers pay attention without the threat of being penalised.

Ditch the phone.