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Talk of the Town: Driving to distraction—Keep your hands on the wheel

By Regina Ford

Published: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:42 PM MDT

An increasing number of news stories are focusing on fatal vehicle accidents—the result of doing other things while driving.

According to our friends at AOL, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Virginia Tech Transportation Institute have studied driver behavior, and have categorized some of the causes of accidents in these reports. Their conclusion: “Driver inattention is the leading factor in most crashes and near-crashes.”

Applying makeup

Ladies, we are all in a hurry to beat the morning traffic. But please, don’t try to put on your mascara in the mayhem. Not only are you diverting your attention from the road, you’re also at risk of looking like a sad clown by the time you get to the office.

Shaving

Gentlemen, just because that razor is cordless doesn’t mean that you should use it everywhere. While you concentrate on getting rid of a 5 o’clock shadow, traffic has bunched up behind you and you’re driving on the shoulder. Shave at home, or wait until you get to work.

Eating

We’ve all done it on a busy day. A quick trip through the drive-through, and before you know it, you’re eating a double cheeseburger with one hand, French fries with the other, balancing a soda with your elbow and steering with your knees. Beyond being a recipe for heartburn, eating behind the wheel is unsafe and distracting.

Reading

The latest Wall Street dilemma has got our attention. It’s great to read the paper to find out which bank has gone bust, but a busted head won’t do you any good whatsoever if you crash and burn, no matter what you have left in your checking account. Don’t read behind the wheel. Period!

Talking on the phone

Research shows that driving while using a cell phone can pose a serious cognitive distraction and degrade driver performance. Using a hands-free device can reduce distraction, but not eliminate it. In other words, hang up and drive.

Texting

The driver in front of you on your morning commute weaves and swerves. You pull alongside, expecting to see an inebriated partyer. Instead, a starched and pressed business person pilots the vehicle - while texting with both thumbs on a PDA which rests on the steering wheel. Texting is unsafe at any speed but zero.

“Just drive,” should be out new motto.

The Up with People cast members are busy this week giving back to the community before their big show this Saturday, Sept. 27, at 7:30 p.m. at Sahuarita Auditorium.

Four members from Up With People stopped by the Green Valley News’ office this past weekend to say ‘hello’ and tell me a little about their organization.

Sarah Smith, 22, and Renee Rogers, Up With People international field managers, and cast members Laura Lynn Horst, 23, and Cindi Wirawan, 21, from Singapore.

The average ages of the cast run 18-29.

Before coming to Green Valley and Sahuarita, the cast has been touring in Mexico.

Smith and Rogers say they are ‘very grateful’ to the Green Valley News for publicizing their need for sponsorships and host families to house the cast members while they are here.

Although Horst has a degree in musical theater from Nebraska Wesleyan University, she says she also has strong ties to and knows the importance of community service.

“I have a close association with some alumni of Up With People and they suggested I join the cast to really work on community service and giving back,” Horst says. “No one gets paid to do this and it’s up to us how we raise the money. I gave a concert to raise part of the funds for me to do this.”

Wirawan, too, heard about Up With People from friends who had traveled with the youth group.

“I’ve done so many things and met so many people—it’s been wonderful,” Wirawan says.

Rogers, who attended the University of Arizona with aspirations of being a teacher, was introduced to Up With People by her father, who took her to see a show when she was much younger.

Up With People showcases 110 young adults from 22 countries. This international global education program for young adults is partnering while they are here with La Posada, Casa de Esperanza, Friends of Madera Canyon, Sahuarita Early Childhood Center with United Way’s Days of Caring, the Anza Trail School, St. Mary’s Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital to complete a number of community service projects.

The partnership is part of Up with People’s visit to Sahuarita through Sept 29. Up with People’s visit to Sahuarita was made possible by Jim Click Automotive Team, Rancho Sahuarita, and Carondelet Health Network.

“Social responsibility and contribution to community are core elements of the Up with People program,” says Christy Dickhans, North American tour manager for Up with People. “Participants have the opportunity to address the social needs of communities through ‘community service impact days’ where they will participate in service projects. By actively participating, individuals will learn how to work with diverse teams, address real life concerns and create ways to make a difference in individual lives, communities and the world.”

The Up With People show is a community celebration that features original and international songs and uses the universal languages of music and dance to inspire, energize and educate. The show will also feature local performing group, Colwell Brothers. In addition, all proceeds from the show will go directly to Carondelet Foundation.

Up with People provides young adults an international and intercultural experience that teaches servant leadership and uses the performing arts to deliver messages of hope and goodwill throughout the world. For more information, visit www.upwithpeople.

Just yesterday, the Up with People cast worked with the day care centers at St. Mary’s Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital with Carondelet Health Network.

They also worked with the maintenance team at La Posada, right here in Green Valley and visited with residents from La Posada’s assisted living facility.

Today, the Up with People cast will be clearing the area for construction of the Amphitheater bridge project at Madera Canyon with Friends of Madera Canyon. The students will be realigning trails, moving trees, and clearing the area from 9:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. The trail cleaning project is located at Madera Canyon at the Amphitheater Trail.

Some cast members will also be at Sahuarita Early Childhood Center with United Way’s Days of Caring. The students will be helping organize storage units, painting murals, and building craft projects. Later today, they will be at Casa de Esperanza. The students will be washing windows, cleaning properties, and helping with office work.

On Thursday, the cast will be at Anza Trail School implementing the “Stand for Peace Program” to the third- through eighth- grade classes. The cast will be teaching the children about diversity in the classroom and will eat lunch with the children and perform a mini “Up with People Show” for the school.

This Friday, the cast will be at Agua Linda Farm learning about the regional organic farming, joined by members of the Future Farmer’s of America (FFA). Up with People students will also be participating in the farm’s pumpkin patch maze, hayrides, and the petting zoo.

Admission is $15 for adults, $8 for students and $42 for the family discount package (2 adults, 2 students) and tickets are available at:

In Sahuarita: Super Stop Shell gas station, State Farm Insurance in the Rancho Sahuarita Marketplace, New Day Cleaners

In Green Valley: Green Valley Mall Main Office, Green Valley Cleaners & Laundry. All proceeds benefit Carondelet Foundation.

For more info, call Sarah Smith at: 303-803-0337

The Santa Cruz Shoestring Players have cast their fall show, “Book of Days” by Lanford Wilson, and rehearsals are under way.

Performances are Oct. 23, 24, and 25, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 26, at 2 p.m. at the Community Performing Arts Center Rehearsal Hall, 1250 W. Continental Road. Directed and produced by Susan Voorhees and assisted by Ray Hathaway, the cast includes: Janet Bruce, Brandon George, Hal Streib, Natasha Hand, Dorothy Tettemmer, Jay Kobler, Elizabeth Raybould, Ren McGee, Jessica Pomeroy, John Hicks, Tom Bushee and Diane Vernon.

“Book of Days” was first produced in April of 1998 and will be set in the present. Dramatists Play Service has the following to say about the play:

“When murder roars through a small Missouri town, Ruth Hoch begins her own quest to find truth and honesty amid small-town jealousies, religion greed and lies. This tornado of a play propels you through its events like a page-turning mystery.”

Ray Leiter will serve as stage manager; Phil Wenstrand, sets and technical manager; Kay Otto and Aurora Hayes, costumes and makeup and house manager, DD Jay.

rford@gvnews.com � 547-9740


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