Linda Hall: Life is too precious for distraction

Linda Hall is Assistant Editor at Hawke's Bay Today.

How many times have we read about the tragic consequences of drivers' two or three seconds of distraction?

The court appearance yesterday of 22-year-old Samuel James Trotter from Norsewood is yet another sad reminder of what can happen when you take your eyes off the road.
In his case it resulted in the worst possible consequences - someone died.

Nick Calavrias cycled away from his family bach in Taupo never to return. He was hit by Mr Trotter's car on the Napier-Taupo Rd and died at the scene.

Reading his grieving son's account of the accident and the year since is heartbreaking.
Their family will never be the same again and instead of enjoying retirement with her husband Mrs Calavrias is "broken".

All because of a moment's inattention.

I have no doubt that Mr Trotter, who was sentenced in the Napier District Court to six months' community detention, one month's supervision and disqualified from driving for a year for causing Mr Calavrias death, and his family are also devastated. He has to live with the consequences of his actions.

This paper get hundreds of text from drivers and cyclists complaining about each other.
"This cyclist was riding on the white line" or this "driver didn't give way to me".

As our roads get busier and busier we all have to take responsibility when we get behind any wheel.

Don't change your car's radio station, don't let the children in the back seat distract you, don't quickly glance down at your phone if it beeps with a message. The person on the other end can wait.

More than likely it's a friend or a family member - how would they feel if you took your eyes off the road to read their text and crashed killing yourself or someone else.
It's simply not worth the risk.

Life is precious - imagine having to identify any member of your family's body.
Think about that next time you get in your car.