Long gone are the days when fiddling with the radio knob or talking to a passenger were the only distractions behind the wheel of a moving vehicle.

Far too many drivers talk on the phone or text message while driving now. In-car TVs even play movies and TV shows.

But the new distractions certainly didn’t replace the old-fashioned ones.

Just ask the driver of a Ford F150 pick-up truck who collided with another vehicle in front of McLaurin School Wednesday. He was looking for his spit cup.

Though the driver blames the cup, a school crossing guard who witnessed the whole thing says more was a play, namely speed.

The McLaurin crossing guard — who has to stand in the middle of a major highway two times a day — wasn’t shocked by Wednesday’s accident though.

No, he’s seen it before.

Accidents in front of the school aren’t really rare, and speeding in a school zone happens all over town.

Crossing guards risk their lives and children and even other drivers are in danger on many local roads.

The advent of many more driver distractions only increases the need for the brake pedal.

Slow down out there.

If you use your phone, put on lipstick or even reach for your spit cup behind the wheel of a car you owe it to everyone around you to travel at a slower rate of speed.

Our lives depend on it, and yours may, too.