There has been a lot said about distracted driving lately. Distracted driving is not just about your cell phone, although they are a large part of it. Distractions come in all forms and are all equally potentially fatal. Day dreaming, dealing with children in the back seat, looking at a GPS, putting on makeup, the list goes on forever.

When you are operating a motor vehicle it requires your undivided attention since you are in control of a machine weighing more than a ton and capable of causing all kinds of mayhem if not operated properly. You would not operate a chain saw or a table saw while reading a book or putting on makeup because this would be dangerous; guess what, so is driving! Inattentive drivers take the lives of thousands of people a year, including my father. When operating a vehicle of any kind there is nothing more important than staying focused on the task of driving, but cars have become so comfortable that we are lulled into a false security and feel like we can do all of these other things at the same time, not so.

If you need to give your attention to something other than driving, then pull over and do so, but when driving, just drive. As a driver it is your responsibility to make sure those around you are not in danger from you and it is your responsibility to get back home at the end of the day safe to your loved ones. Next time you put the key in and start your vehicle, put everything else away and just drive, if you miss a call or miss an exit because you were not able to look at GPS or whatever else you miss, remember your loved ones will understand if you get home alive at the end of the day to explain it to them and give them a hug. I no longer have the option to hug my father.

Lonnie Young

Arlington