Slaton Accident Blamed on Distracted Driving

The Texas DPS is blaming distracted driving for being the culprit of an accident involving an 18-year-old on Highway 84.

Looking at photos in the story of a mangled truck on railroad tracks (no, the vehicle was not hit by a train), I'm shocked the individual behind the wheel is alive to realize his mistake. Thankfully, his stupid mistake didn't also take some other innocent individual out.

Having relocated from a community that had stiff fines for distracted driving (see: cell phone use while driving) to a city with no such penalties in place (yet!), I'm often amazed how some of us here in the Hub City still don't get it.

I'll admit it: I've been behind the wheel longer than some of you have been alive. Maybe because of this, things like putting on my seatbelt, using the blinker when switching lanes or turning and looking three times before turning out into an intersection are as automatic as breathing to me when behind the wheel.

But almost without fail, when an idiot in front of me is either weaving in and out of their lane, fail to hit the gas pedal at a green light, doesn't use a turn signal or pulls out in front of someone, that person is usually on their phone.

Whether it's texting, talking, dressing or doing your make-up, distracted driving is almost as bad as drunk driving in my book.

So put down your phone while driving, dummy. Don't drive distracted!