EDITORIAL - Distracted

In a video that has now gone viral, a woman is seen arguing with a Transportation Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) driver in Manila for allegedly scrolling on his cellphone while driving.

The woman told News5 that she booked for a ride to the airport when she noticed that the driver kept using his cellphone while he was driving. When she asked him to focus on driving this triggered a heated exchange between them.

Here are some of their exchanges:

Passenger: "Nag-comment lang ako dahil you're scrolling on your phone while driving."

TNVS driver: "Wala ka nang pakialam doon."

Passenger: "Ang punto ko lang dito ay 'yung safety ko."

TNVS driver: "Safety! Safety?"

The woman said she will not file charges against the TNVS driver, although she has complained to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) about the incident. An LTO official said the TNVS driver may have possibly violated the Anti-Distracted Driving Law, although he said evidence has to be provided. The agency is also mulling issuing a show-cause order to the TNVS driver to let him explain his side.

To be fair, we only know of the story from the side of the passenger, we don’t have the side of the TNVS driver in this incident and what led to the exchange.

However, from what we see in the video, aside from being rude it would seem that the TNVS driver was being very cavalier about his using his cellphone while he was driving, indifferent regarding the safety of his passenger, and dismissive of his responsibility to take his passenger to the agreed-upon destination.

Drivers of any vehicle, TNVS or not, shouldn’t be using their cellphone while driving, except perhaps to check if they are heading on the right direction. And this should be done with all care.

Being distracted while driving is a major cause of vehicular accidents. And judging by how many vehicular accidents we see on the daily in the news and in our social media feeds, these are becoming more and more common. As per an ad campaign against distracted driving, it only takes two seconds of eyes off the road for everything to change from good to bad.