The Perils of Distracted Driving: Why Does Focus Matter

A panel discussion including Pulitzer Prize winning reporter and author, Matt Richtel, Congregation Kol Shofar Rabbi Chai Levy, Brandeis Marin Head of School Peg Sandel, mindfulness teacher Larry Yermack and JCC Jewish Engagement Director, Joanne Greene.

The Talmud commands that Jewish people be responsible for each other when it states, "Kol Yisrael arevim zeh la zeh", generally translated as "all of Israel are responsible for one another." Nowhere does this question play out more dramatically than behind the wheel of a car, where we are literally responsible for the lives of everyone around us. In our increasingly distracted landscape where heads swivel at every text tone and lit screen, how does the deep seated value of responsibility for each other play out on the road?

The mundane act of driving is also one of the most complex and dangerous -- and yet an overwhelming majority of drivers report talking on the phone while driving, and over 30 percent report texting. Distracted driving is now a leading cause of highway crashes, accounting for over 5,000 traffic fatalities and nearly a half a million serious injuries each year. The US is on track to have its deadliest traffic year since 2007 - traffic deaths in early 2015 rose 11 percent over the same period in 2014 -- and safety experts are citing cell phone distraction as a primary factor. The NSC estimates that texting while driving raises the likelihood of a crash by eight times, and that crashes involving texting or talking on a cellphone - hands-free or handheld - account for 27 percent of all accidents.

Understanding our distracted mindset is imperative for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our community. The distracted brain is associated with decreased work performance, declines in creativity, deep thought and learning; the distracted mindset has been shown to undermine empathy and interpersonal relationships.

FREE - registration encouraged.