When Overdrive covered an incident where a driver got caught red-handed looking at a tablet propped up on a steering wheel, the comments and reader feedback were nearly unanimous -- It's no longer a question of if professional drivers have seen this happen, but how often, how they react, and if they do it themselves.
A subsequent poll looked more closely at the phenomenon, with almost one in ten respondents even admitting to some form of handheld-screen use.
But first, some good news: 301 out of 429 respondents thoroughly rejected the practice, either saying it's "a danger to all" that they just try to steer clear of when they see it (41%), or that it's a danger that they try to stop (29%).
After that, though, it gets a little troubling. Around 13%, or 57 individuals, said pretty much everyone does it. About 9%, or 37 individuals, said watching videos or otherwise using handheld screens "can be OK under certain circumstances." Another 34 voters responded "Other," with an option to comment. Only four did. (What gives?)
This author won't lecture professional drivers on their behavior at the wheel, and it's clear from this poll that the wide majority of professional drivers soundly reject the practice.
But it's worth looking at evolving attitudes, and some of the very fair criticisms drivers level toward shippers demanding photos and communications while they're on the road, law enforcement driving around with open laptops mounted to the dash, and the general driving public, as unrestrained as ever in their bad behaviors behind the wheel.
