Albuquerque drivers are sociopaths

I consider myself a libertarian. The fewer laws the better, as far as I‘m concerned.

There are some laws I agree with, though. I believe that laws which protect children, the elderly, animals and private property should be applied and enforced, and I am in favor of any legislation that protects the public’s safety — which is why I fully support the citywide ban on distracted driving.

Drivers are bad enough in Albuquerque when they’re sober and totally focused; the ability to talk on the phone and operate a moving vehicle is clearly beyond the capability of most people in this town.

So why do they try to do it?

A 2008 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) demonstrated that drivers are four times more likely to be involved in serious crashes while using their cell phones than drivers not using such devices.

Approximately 515,000 people were injured that year in car accidents involving some form of distracted driving, and nearly 6,000 people died as a result of their actions. Drivers aren’t just talking behind the wheel, though — there are plenty of other distractions such as GPS systems, BlackBerries and iPhones. Eating while driving is something I see a lot more people doing nowadays.

Predictably, novice drivers under the age of 20 have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatalities. They made up about 16 percent of the total number. The age group with the next-highest percentage of fatal crashes was the 20 to 29 year-olds, with about 12 percent.

Last December, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended a total, nationwide ban on the use of cell phones and text messaging while driving. They likened the practice to the “new DUI” and referred to the situation as an epidemic.

A spokesman said the action was necessary to combat the growing threat posed by distracted drivers. Data showed the number of fatalities involving distracted drivers dropped to around 3,100 in 2010, although the actual number may be far higher than that.

Determining if driver distraction was a factor in an accident can be difficult because distracted drivers often don’t own up to their actions, or they die in the crash. The proportion of drivers reportedly distracted at the time of a fatal accident increased from 7 percent in 2005 to around 11 percent in 2009.

Only 10 states have a total ban on cell phone use while driving: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Utah, Washington, joined by the District of Columbia.

While there is no statewide ban in New Mexico, talking on the phone while driving is illegal in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Española and Taos, and is prohibited in all state vehicles.

I had the pleasure of taking UNM’s Defensive Driving course recently and it’s hard to believe that so many people are still unaware of the cell phone ban in Albuquerque — but judging by the number of people I see driving around town breaking the law (including cops), they’re not alone.

Intriguingly, according to public opinion surveys conducted by the National Safety Council (NSC), most motorists acknowledged that using a cell phone while driving is dangerous — yet they continued to do it. In fact, the NTSB discovered that texting while driving actually increased 50 percent since the past year. Two out of 10 drivers say they’ve sent text messages or emails while behind the wheel, despite (or perhaps because of) the rush by many states to ban the practice.

Even more alarming is the fact that the main role models for most people — their parents — admit to driving distracted while teaching their kids to drive. An auto insurance company survey on distracted driving found that 53 percent of parents admitted they were distracted at least once by a mobile device while trying to teach their children how to drive a car.

Most teens only have their parents’ behavior to observe behind the wheel, and will be influenced by the way they drive. How easy is it for young people to follow rules their parents refuse to obey? I’ve seen many adults driving around having animated conversations while behind the wheel of a car filled with children.

I just have to ask: What are you people thinking? Is it really worth risking everyone’s life just because you can’t shut up long enough to drive from point A to point B?

I have a theory. I believe that part of the reason for this epidemic of self-destructive, anti-social behavior is because our society breeds sociopaths who simply don’t care about their fellow human beings. A sociopath — someone suffering from Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) — typically disregards the rights and well-being of others and engages in anti-social behavior without any feelings of guilt or remorse.

Sociopaths have problems assimilating with society, following the law, or behaving in a safe manner. They find it hard to tolerate boredom or manage their anger, they have problems controlling their impulses, and they have trouble developing meaningful relationships with others. That describes about half of all Americans, if you ask me.

It’s clear that many people are aware of the cell phone ban in Albuquerque and simply choose to ignore it. Mayor Berry and Gov. Martinez are both on board with the w82txt (wait to text) community-awareness campaign, but educational messages and public appeals to reason aren’t going to change the behavior of a sociopath.

Good laws and strong enforcement are the only ways to solve this problem. Many drivers simply won’t stop doing it unless they fear getting a ticket.

I understand that for a lot of people today, having a cell phone has become a real physical addiction, as bad as methamphetamine or heroin. It‘s actually worse than those drugs, because a cell phone is within arm’s length 24 hours a day, seven days a week. ‘Cell Phone Separation Anxiety‘ is a real phenomena. Research has shown that people actually suffer from classic withdrawal symptoms when their phone is taken away, even for short periods of time. All I can say is that if you’re one of those people, you need to seek help immediately. Is there a ‘Cell Phones Anonymous’ yet? There should be.

Just for the record, I am not one of the 93 percent of Americans who own one of those infernal contraptions — surprise — although I must confess I have borrowed my wife’s phone on occasion. Cell phones are useful in emergencies and they have many other valid purposes, but there is no reason in the world why most phone calls can’t wait until you get out of the car.

An automobile is a two-ton projectile. Operating a moving vehicle is serious business, and it should be taken seriously. Driving while talking on the phone or texting is not simply a bad habit — it’s illegal, it’s dangerous, and it’s immoral. You’re putting other people’s lives at risk because your conversation is more important than their safety.

That is sociopathic behavior.