The deadliest message Published Nov. 5, 2013 By Lt. Col. Paul Baker 14th Flying Training Wing Chief of Safety COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Last week, in our office, we were discussing the problem of distracted driving. True to form, one of the pilots in our office commented somewhat sarcastically that he had seen a program on T.V. regarding texting and driving. The narrator on the program indicated that unless you are a racecar driver or a pilot, you have no business operating your phone behind the wheel. Of course, as a pilot himself, he was jokingly suggesting that his superior reflexes and ability to multi-task should exempt him from lectures on texting and driving. While I appreciated the quick thinking and wittiness of his reply, I still had a responsibility contradict him. And this highlights a myth that may exist amongst the culture we are all a part of. The point is that driving an automobile is a huge responsibility and demands the driver's undivided attention. As a pilot, multi-tasking is done only for the greater good of accomplishing a mission. As a driver, there is no mission to accomplish other than arriving safely at your destination. Everyone knows this, but the question is do you have a plan to make sure you'll be successful? I do. My plan is really simple. My phone is either out of reach (ie. in the back seat) or on silent when I'm in the car. Admittedly, for my generation the cell phone is probably not nearly as important to my lifestyle as it might be for you. Taking such a "drastic" measure might seem unthinkable. However, I just read an article online about a woman who crossed the centerline in her minivan and hit another car head-on. The two passengers in the car she hit died, as well as her niece and daughter in her own car. She's facing charges. We don't know yet if it was due to distracted driving, but my gut feel is that it probably was. In light of stories like these, turning off your phone when driving seems perfectly sensible; even if you happen to be a racecar driver or a pilot.