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電話をしながら運転しないで
巷でよく見かける携帯電話。歩きながらはもちろんのこと、運転しながら電話をする姿もずいぶん見かけるようになった。しかし、便利さとは裏腹に、運転中の使用が原因の死亡事故が増えている。
Don'T Dial and Drive
By CHRISTINE CUNANAN-NOMURA
The National Police Agency recently reported that drivers using cellular phones caused 2,297 traffic accidents last year. These accidents resulted in the deaths of 25 people and injuries to another 3,328 people.
The agency said that 74.5 percent of the drivers involved had smashed into the cars in front of them while using their telephones. In other words, many victims' cars were bumped from behind by drivers who were talking on their phones without realizing they were heading for a collision. Some 30.6 percent of the drivers — the largest group involved — were between 16 and 24 years old.
Accidents due to cellular phone use are both grievous and inexcusable.
Traffic accidents caused by natural calamities, bad road conditions or engine failure sometimes cannot be helped. However an accident caused by careless, unfocused driving — as by someone not concentrating on the road because he or she is too engrossed in a phone conversation — is unjustifiable.
Young people should realize that each time they get behind the wheel of a car they are putting their own lives and other people's lives at risk — especially if they drive after drinking alcohol or while using a cellular phone.
Driving a car has become so matter-of-fact that few people are aware of the possible risks involved. However it is often said that the odds of dying in a car accident are much greater than the odds of dying in an airplane accident, although most people would never think so.
A car accident can change people's lives irreparably, and oftentimes the victims suffer much more than the driver. Many victims end up recovering in a hospital for weeks or months. In the most serious cases, victims become paralyzed, lose some part of their body or even die.
After realizing how much damage and pain have been caused, the driver is usually very sorry about his or her carelessness and resolves to drive more carefully. Unfortunately, it's too late. Someone's life has already been changed unnecessarily.
Cellular phones are excellent inventions that have made lives convenient to a degree previously unimaginable for many people. These phones are invaluable for business, emergencies and for just keeping in touch with friends and loved ones. For instance, many mothers are now happy that they can contact their children whenever these sons and daughters are late or are away from home.
Driving, too, has become accessible to most people — particularly in Japan, where cars are more affordable in relation to people's incomes. Many college students and young people can easily buy a car.
Carelessly combining driving with cellular phone use, however, can obviously have dangerous and tragic results. So young people who want to do both simultaneously should only do so carefully. Don't use the cellular phone for chatting needlessly while driving. If you have to talk to someone at length, stop your car by the street curb first. Or just don't dial and drive at the same time! Put your and other people's safety first.
The National Police Agency recently reported that drivers using cellular phones caused 2,297 traffic accidents last year. These accidents resulted in the deaths of 25 people and injuries to another 3,328 people.
The agency said that 74.5 percent of the drivers involved had smashed into the cars in front of them while using their telephones. In other words, many victims' cars were bumped from behind by drivers who were talking on their phones without realizing they were heading for a collision. Some 30.6 percent of the drivers — the largest group involved — were between 16 and 24 years old.
Accidents due to cellular phone use are both grievous and inexcusable.
Traffic accidents caused by natural calamities, bad road conditions or engine failure sometimes cannot be helped. However an accident caused by careless, unfocused driving — as by someone not concentrating on the road because he or she is too engrossed in a phone conversation — is unjustifiable.
Young people should realize that each time they get behind the wheel of a car they are putting their own lives and other people's lives at risk — especially if they drive after drinking alcohol or while using a cellular phone.
Driving a car has become so matter-of-fact that few people are aware of the possible risks involved. However it is often said that the odds of dying in a car accident are much greater than the odds of dying in an airplane accident, although most people would never think so.
A car accident can change people's lives irreparably, and oftentimes the victims suffer much more than the driver. Many victims end up recovering in a hospital for weeks or months. In the most serious cases, victims become paralyzed, lose some part of their body or even die.
After realizing how much damage and pain have been caused, the driver is usually very sorry about his or her carelessness and resolves to drive more carefully. Unfortunately, it's too late. Someone's life has already been changed unnecessarily.
Cellular phones are excellent inventions that have made lives convenient to a degree previously unimaginable for many people. These phones are invaluable for business, emergencies and for just keeping in touch with friends and loved ones. For instance, many mothers are now happy that they can contact their children whenever these sons and daughters are late or are away from home.
Driving, too, has become accessible to most people — particularly in Japan, where cars are more affordable in relation to people's incomes. Many college students and young people can easily buy a car.
Carelessly combining driving with cellular phone use, however, can obviously have dangerous and tragic results. So young people who want to do both simultaneously should only do so carefully. Don't use the cellular phone for chatting needlessly while driving. If you have to talk to someone at length, stop your car by the street curb first. Or just don't dial and drive at the same time! Put your and other people's safety first.
Shukan ST: April 24, 1998
(C) All rights reserved
- National Police Agency
- 警察庁
- cellular phones
- 携帯電話
- caused
- 引き起こした
- traffic accidents
- 交通事故
- resulted in 〜
- 〜 をもたらす結果となった
- injuries
- 負傷
- drivers involved
- 事故を起こした運転手
- had smashed into 〜
- 〜 に衝突した
- victims' cars
- 被害者の車
- were bumped from behind
- 追突された
- without realizing they were heading for a collision
- 衝突すると気づかずに
- due to 〜
- 〜 が原因の
- grievous
- 重大な
- inexcusable
- 許し難い
- natural calamities
- 天災
- engine failure
- エンジン故障
- cannot be helped
- 仕方がない
- careless, unfocused driving
- 注意散漫で集中力に欠く運転
- is too engrossed in a phone conversation
- 電話でのおしゃべりに夢中になりすぎる
- unjustifiable
- 弁解できない
- get behind the wheel of a car
- 運転する
- are putting their own lives and other people's lives at risk
- 自分の命と他人の命を危険にさらしている
- Driving a car has become so matter-of-fact that 〜
- 車を運転することが当たり前のことになりすぎて 〜
- few people are aware of the possible risks involved
- ほとんどの人が、危険が伴うことを忘れてしまっている
- odds of 〜
- 〜 の確率
- irreparably
- 取り返しがつかないまでに
- oftentimes
- たいていの場合
- suffer
- 苦しむ
- end up 〜
- 結局 〜 になる
- become paralyzed
- まひをおこす
- resolves to 〜
- 〜 を決心する
- inventions
- 発明
- have made lives convenient to a degree previously unimaginable
- 以前には考えられなかったくらい生活を便利にした
- are invaluable
- 欠かせない
- emergencies
- 緊急時
- keeping in touch with 〜
- 〜 との連絡をたやさないこと
- has become accessible to 〜
- 〜 にとって可能になった
- (are)affordable
- 購入しやすい
- in relation to 〜
- 〜 と照らし合わせて
- Carelessly combining 〜 with 〜
- 軽率に 〜 と 〜 を一緒にすること
- obviously
- 明らかに
- (can)have dangerous and tragic results
- 危険で悲劇的な結果をはらんでいる
- simultaneously
- 同時に
- chatting needlessly
- たわいのないおしゃべり
- at length
- 長い間
- by the street curb
- 路肩に
- Put 〜 first
- 〜 を最優先させてください