Keep your eyes on road, don’t impede traffic
ADOT reminder about rubbernecking at crash sites is a valid one
When one sees something unusual, one’s instinct is to check it out, staring at it to get a better understanding of the situation at hand.
However, it’s an instinct the Arizona Department of Transportation would really like you to ignore – at least, when it comes to traffic accidents on the road.
The agency took to Twitter earlier this week, and noted “REMINDER: It’s against the law to text and drive. Use your phone before you start your car. #phxtraffic #aztraffic.” The accompanying graphic, however, is what caught our attention. The graphic read, “Rubbernecking and photo taking add to the delay. Please keep moving, and put your cellphone away!” We couldn’t agree more. It happens all the time here in Yuma. There will be a traffic backup on one of the main arteries. Traffic inches along, down to one lane in either direction. Then, one reaches the source of the backup, and realizes that it’s a minor accident. However, other drivers are more concerned about staring out the window at the crash site than they are about safely getting past it, which in turn helps traffic flow more smoothly.
Not only do such actions add to the delay, they also endanger the lives of the people on the scene: think accident victims and first responders.
It must be nerve-wracking to work the scene of an accident, knowing what those other drivers are doing around you. It just takes one driver watching the accident and not the road itself to spark another accident. Only this time, there are people on the scene who aren’t tucked into their vehicles – and that increases the chances of a serious or fatal collision.
Be smart, drivers. If you see an accident on the road, it can be tempting to stare out the window at it. It might even be tempting to bust out your phone and take a few pictures.
However, what you are really doing is endangering the lives of others, and adding to the traffic delays.
Pay attention to the road in front of you, listen to the officers directing the traffic, and stay safe out there. Don’t be a rubbernecker!
DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS OR NOT?