Not long ago I wrote an article here on ITS discussing the importance of maintaining situational awareness when you’re in public. It’s hard to make any decision, much less a critical decision, without accurate and timely information. This is why eliminating distractions, like putting the damn phone away, are key to ensuring that you have the time to properly respond to incoming threats.
Unintended Consequences
Many cities in the United States are starting to regulate mobile phone use and require “hands free” devices while driving a vehicle; you would think this would be a good thing. These regulations are intended for public safety, though we have no way of knowing if these new laws actually increase safety or just increase the feeling of safety.
For now, we’ll assume they do increase safety, but the unintended consequence is the rush to get to all of those notifications read as soon as you’re free to do so. For many folks, myself included, the act of checking mobile devices is pretty addictive. So much of the world has been brought to our fingertips, literally.
Paying Attention and Timing
As a public safety announcement, reserve using your mobile device while operating a vehicle to emergencies only. It’s normal for many folks to want to engage with social media the moment they park the vehicle, or worse when they’re temporarily stopped.
Here are some further tips that you can employ to avoid being ambushed. The criminal element will target those who seem to be “aloof and unaware,” over those who are paying attention to their surroundings.
by Jeff Gonzales
