The high price of "busyness"

Lately I've been getting really annoyed at how distracted people are by their busy lives, especially while they are driving. I've at times been as guilty as the next person of often not focusing on the fact that I am in a hurling down the highway in a hunk of metal; one that could cause some serious damage or even take a life because I need to catch up on my phone calls or my mind is so over-busy that driving becomes practically an unconscious task. I get very annoyed and angry that I don't feel safe to take Susanna on a walk along a road with a 25 mph speed limit because I can't trust drivers not to accidently run over us in a moment of distraction. I have thought lately about getting a bike for country road rides near our house, but I'm honestly afraid that an accident with a car is almost inevitable these days!

But what's been even more scary in these summer months is hearing multiple stories of people who have left their children unattended in cars...not because they were ignorant of the danger of the rapidly increasing heat while they made a quick stop at the mini-mart...but because they forgot to drop their children off at daycare.

This is the second occurence I've heard of in two weeks.
I'll post the link to the latest one, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/09/AR2008070901888.html?nav=hcmodule, but honestly, I wouldn't recommend reading it. It just makes me so sick to my stomach.

Let's really take an honest look at how "busy" we are...is it worth it to be this distracted? If you can work all morning and afternoon until you remember your child or grandchild is outside in your car, what else are you missing?