Distractions Can Be Deadly (“IT CAN WAIT” CHALLENGE)

Distractions Can Be Deadly (“IT CAN WAIT” CHALLENGE)

By Carol Doyel –

I felt led to write this article after reading about a family of five; a twenty-nine year old father and mother and their three young children, who were killed in a crash on I-80 on their way to Colorado for missionary training. The cause of this deadly accident possibly due to an “inattentive, distracted” driver.

As I stared into the faces of these five precious family members in the photo in the news article, it grieved me beyond words. My heart sank. God – why? Why was this dear family of five, on the way to train for your work as missionaries in Japan, snatched by such a tragic accident? Not just one but the entire family, gone in an instant. I can’t imagine what their loved ones must be going through.

fall scents for your home
The Pals Family
Jamison and Kathryne Pals and their three children – Photo from WorldVenture Webpage

Do I doubt God’s existence or love for us? No, but when terrible things happen to good people like this it can leave us wondering, Why? I kept thinking about it and running it through my mind over and over. A mindless tragedy that haunts you like the many others we hear and read about in the news.

But what hit me about this story was the title of the article in the Omaha World-Herald, that reads: “Semi driver was inattentive, distracted when he hit family’s minivan in I-80 crash, State Patrol says.”

As I read the article I began thinking about the truck driver, who according to the article when the judge informed him of his rights to hire an attorney and asked if he had any assets, responded: “Sir, I am a month away from losing my house and my car.”

I have no idea if the man showed remorse, he may still have been in shock and simply stated the facts of his situation; that he was unable to afford an attorney and is about to lose his car and home. I cannot help but feel great remorse for this man as well. His life forever altered, facing five counts of felony motor vehicle homicide charges.

What led to this man’s demise? How did the State Patrolman determine he was inattentive and distracted? Was this man on his cell phone, or texting, consumed in thought over his dire situation? Was he distracted by his financial circumstances, or just on a casual call or the middle of texting someone? It was 11:30 am in the morning and the article did not mention driving under the influence as a factor, but that he was inattentive and distracted “when he hit family’s minivan.”

I suspect that the semi-truck driver was not following the law, as the article stated that the crash occurred in a construction zone where the speed was reduced from the normal 75 miles an hour to 65 miles an hour and the news report said he was traveling at a high speed when apparently his truck must have drifted across the lane crashing into the minivan coming from the other direction of I-80. The question is: What distracted him?

Sadly, due to technology there are a number of things that can distract us while driving. But by far, the biggest distraction are our cell phones. While driving down the road, I’ve witnessed many people looking down at their phones instead of the road. I have to confess, I have also responded to texts or glanced down to read a text or to see who a call or text is from while driving. The realty is it only takes a few seconds, as shared in the statistics below, for life to be forever changed by something that may seem so harmless at the time. However, there are mobile apps that can help you keep focused while driving that could save a life.

For many people, phones have become an obsession. I have noticed more and more people walking around or standing in public places while looking down at their phones, engaging with apps and texts rather than paying attention to what is going on around them. Not long ago, a man in San Diego walking near the edge of the coast while texting accidently walked right off the edge, falling to his death – Distracted!

Below are statistics found on a Government website called Distraction.gov:

  • In 2014, 3,179 people were killed, and 431,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.
  • Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55mph, that’s enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded. (2009, VTTI)

Beyond distractions while driving, it seems smart phones have made us do really dumb things…texting, talking, gaming, and engaging with our phones more than our surroundings or the people we love. In addition to cell phones, laptops and tablets captivate users for hours at a time. I again have to confess, I often talk to friends on the phone while working on my laptop.

This kind of distraction or use of our time may not lead to death; although researchers have discovered that people who sit at their devices for hours a day have significantly higher risks for disease and death, but it can certainly impact the quality of our life and relationships. I have seen many young mothers at parks, playgrounds and the beach with children staring at their phones more than enjoying the precious time they have with their children.

As I have observed people and their phones, I have become very disenchanted with a technology that has the potential to steal our time and attention from things that have far greater eternal value and lasting impact in our lives. By engaging and being present with the people we love, who need us far more than Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, or casual phone or text conversation’s, we can set a standard for our children and grandchildren of how to best utilize the technology we have while protecting our most precious resources – time and people.

I want to put forth a challenge, which I plan to accept myself, to put aside our devices when there are more important things we can be doing, especially while driving! Trust me – that call or text can wait. I want to call the challenge, “IT CAN WAIT” – Calls and texts and even distractions like worry that can take away our focus from the things we are doing in the moment. Putting aside those things that can wait until an appointed time, when we can effectively and productively deal with them.

By focusing on what you are doing in the moment, and the people you are with, I believe you will experience a noticeable difference in the quality of your life as well as those whom you love, it may even save a life!

Please accept the challenge – “IT CAN WAIT” as a way of saying you care, and in honor of the precious family who lost their lives as well as the others who were injured in the I-80 crash on August 3, 2016.

 

Carol Doyel is Founder and Editor-in-Chief of LivingBetter50.com and an ordained minister. She is a graduate of The Full Gospel Bible Institute and has a passion for women’s ministries, issues and lives. She and her husband of 28+ years have three grown kids and four grandchildren. They reside in Los Angeles, CA. Her desire is to inspire women to live better physically, emotionally, financially, and spiritually.

3 thoughts on “Distractions Can Be Deadly (“IT CAN WAIT” CHALLENGE)”

  1. It really is such a tragedy. If there is any solace I suppose that they knew the Lord and they were all taken together. I can’t imagine the pain of one member having to deal the loss with all the others. And for the truck driver, having to live with being the cause of that for the rest of his life will surely haunt him forever.

    I work in the technology industry but still won’t text and drive. I don’t like being on my phone at all and do believe It Can Wait as you’ve said. As a single parent, I’m very intentional about my decisions and how they could potentially affect my children.

    Challenge accepted!

    1. Thank you Angela for accepting the challenge and your comments. Yes, such a heart breaking situation that will effect the lives of so many, from one thoughtless decision. I believe that is why God warn’s us that we can be destroyed for lack of knowledge. Not thinking and acting wisely can be very costly. All my best to you as a single mom!

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Distractions Can Be Deadly (“IT CAN WAIT” CHALLENGE)
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