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Getting organized can be life-saving
By RICHARD RUSSELL
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Nine out of 10 drivers admit being well-organized in their car helps them keep their eyes on the road. Seventy-eight per cent crave organization in their lives "especially on the go," the vast majority say it is a constant battle to keep their cars organized and almost one-third of female respondents admitted to having had or almost had "a crash because they were reaching for or looking for something in their car."
We owe these not-so-startling revelations to Ford, which commissioned an international survey firm to contact a large number of American female adults who owned or leased a vehicle.
While the survey was conducted with respect to interior style, and the location, size and design of storage compartments, it also indicates a strong need to rethink our driving habits if we find ourselves constantly reaching for or using items in the car.
We are supposed to be driving, with both hands on the wheel and our minds on that important life-risking task. And don't for a second fall into the trap of thinking women are unique in this respect. If anything, men are more of a problem.
The issue has become almost second nature as people, living increasingly busy and complicated lives, find themselves using time in their vehicle to accomplish a variety of tasks.
We are well aware of the use of the cellphone to plan, communicate and catch up. We've all seen people reading while at the wheel and even shaving or applying makeup. There's nothing uncommon about having a beverage in one hand and hopefully the wheel and not a snack in the other.
Drivers guilty of these habits will commonly defend them by stating they were stopped in traffic or barely moving. But it is a slippery slope between that point and a few kilometres and hour, and then greater speed.
The fact is that if our attention is distracted or divided, we are unable to identify and react quickly when something happens that requires action.
But the car is commonly a living space in today's society, and preparation or planning can help make it a safer place.
Make it a habit to think of the trip ahead and your needs during that time. Put things where you can easily reach them without having to take your eyes off the job.
Auto makers have fallen down on this job badly in the desire to put design ahead of function. Many of today's vehicles have no ready place for small things such as glasses or sunglasses, coins or tokens -- items that can be required on a moment's notice while at speed.
Rarely is there space for a purse other than the passenger seat. Even if that is unoccupied, it is unsafe to reach that far.
Thankfully, the aftermarket industry has come to the rescue with a huge variety of containers designed to accommodate a wide array of "stuff" and help keep things organized. Many of the better designs allow the container to be positioned within easy reach.
The worst offenders with respect to being disorganized are often those who routinely travel the same route at the same time every day.
These people will commonly forget to plan ahead enough to put their sunglasses, tokens or even cellphone where they can easily be reached. It's bad enough to be using the cellphone while in motion, but quite another thing to be groping around in a purse or pocket to find it.
And when that sun slams you in the eyes -- where are those darn sunglasses? It's not as though the sun moved since the previous day when it blinded you on the way to or from work.
Organization is a wonderful thing in the work place or at home. But it takes on life-critical significance in your vehicle.
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