Holy crap! After close calls on the road, we oft times come home with the remark, "I didn't die today." Glad you didn't die today either!
To chime in on the cell phone thing, a recent study (http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/hfes/hf/2009/00000051/00000003/art00001) shows that talking on a cell phone (even hands free conversations) is equivalent to an 0.08 or higher blood alcohol level. Texting and doing other "activities" impair driving even more. In the same manor where they started calling them car crashes instead of accidents, to increase awareness, we now point out "drunk drivers" that we see on their cell phones; especially when my niece or nephew are in my car with me.
Of course, being an idiot driver can trump all of the above.
Congrats on living to see another birthday!
To chime in on the cell phone thing, a recent study (http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/hfes/hf/2009/00000051/00000003/art00001) shows that talking on a cell phone (even hands free conversations) is equivalent to an 0.08 or higher blood alcohol level. Texting and doing other "activities" impair driving even more. In the same manor where they started calling them car crashes instead of accidents, to increase awareness, we now point out "drunk drivers" that we see on their cell phones; especially when my niece or nephew are in my car with me.
Of course, being an idiot driver can trump all of the above.