Cassels Garage

Be Careful Out There

Published on July 20, 2016

Before DVR’s and streaming television and DVD box sets of an entire series, we used to watch television programs when they were broadcast. Viewers of a certain age can recall “appointment” television programs of the 1980’s, so called because loyal viewers would avoid scheduling conflicting events on the nights their favorite shows aired. One of the first of these iconic programs was Hill Street Blues, airing at 10:00 PM on Thursday nights. Hill Street Blues used an ensemble cast to track several different story lines all centered around one police station, and loyal viewers drew comfort from the familiar opening every week. Each show began with a morning briefing of officers led by gruff but lovable Sgt. Esterhaus, who finished every meeting the same way: “Remember, let’s be careful out there.”

That was a touching warning by a concerned supervisor, and the need for diligent care has not lessened any in the decades since then. Today’s drivers face a host of threats that were unknown to drivers in the 1980’s. Easily distracted drivers have always struggled to focus on the road, but today’s distractions are more common and addictive than ever before. According to a study by AT&T, seventy percent of all drivers utilize their smartphones while driving. Phone use while driving has become a national epidemic that has far reaching implications to every driver and passenger.

Despite all of the dire warnings and grim statistics, drivers continue to use their phones from the driver’s seat of a moving vehicle. A moment of impatience can result in expensive, even tragic consequences. After an accident, it is an easy matter nowadays for the investigating officer to check a driver’s phone for recent activity. The dangers of texting and driving are obvious because a driver’s vision is diverted from the road. A more subtle but substantial danger arises from talking on your cell phone while driving. Many drivers believe that talking on the phone is safe because you can keep your eyes on the road, but the statistics do not support this belief. The risk to drivers and passengers increases dramatically if the driver is distracted in any way.

Summer is the time for road trips. Your friends at Cassels Garage encourage you to “be careful out there.” At Cassels Garage in West Melbourne, we are ready to help keep your cars in good working condition. We are a family-owned shop well equipped to provide routine maintenance or do major repairs on your car. We have been serving Brevard County since 1966.

Facebook
Twitter
Reddit
Email
Skip to content