Some people fight traffic by convincing themselves they can be productive on the drive. Checking Twitter, email or sending texts takes the driver’s eye off the road. Last year in Tennessee 38,000 reported accidents were tied to texting. Frustrated people, left alone in their car, make bad decisions.
When you have a passenger, do you text and drive? Do you drink and drive?
Two people in a car are safer than one, period. You’re more responsible with passengers and more engaged socially. If you’re going to be in traffic, it’s not a question of misery loving company (which may also be true) but it’s a fact that we want someone with us on those long drives. Carpooling is how you fight the time thief. Two people make our highways safer by taking one car off the road. So why don’t we do it?
Every day 350,000 cars pile into Davidson County to report for work. Going back to Rutherford County, 38,000 cars slug home while 21,000 slow walk back to Clarksville. Nearly every car has one occupant. Maybe we’re not in enough pain yet:
- The daily commute inside Rutherford County is 30 minutes!
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The average long distance commute on I-24 is over 70 minutes each way.
At the end of a long day, you should be looking forward to getting home. When you’re sharing the ride you might secretly look forward that commute too.