DRIVERS: Officers should watch road

While I have the utmost respect for our Highway Patrol, I’m concerned about a message they are sending in regard to the hot topic of distracted driving. While driving south on Highway 41 toward I-90 with my teen, we followed a patrolman who for the entire drive was doing something on a passenger seat computer. As we were right behind him, at first we wondered if he had someone in that seat as his head was turned toward the passenger seat. Every so often he’d glance at the road.

He stayed between the lines but drifted — that’s what got our attention in the first place. When we pulled beside him to turn, we saw he was doing something on a passenger seat laptop. My impression was not that this was an emergency, and he was receiving important information.

With all the current issues about distracted driving, this sent a very bad message, worse than talking on a cell phone. I believe these officers are to uphold the law, they are not above it. Patrol and police officers probably spend more time driving than many of us, and have more experience in different driving situations, but if your eyes are not on the road — you don’t see the road, traffic or pedestrians — period.

We have a teen approaching driving age and distracted driving is a big topic for us. I was disappointed we saw this, and it was so obvious. I’d appreciate any explanation.

For everyone’s safety, pull over.

GAYLE BELT

Rathdrum