Could this product help prevent distracted driving accidents?
When we think about distracted driving, we often think about the distractions that are caused by cellphones such as texting, emailing, surfing the Internet or talking. While, indeed, these are all dangerous distractions, a cellphone isn’t the only thing that takes a driver’s eyes off of the roads.
In fact, something as simple as reaching for a tissue while driving can be just distracting enough to cause a serious car accident. The problem is there isn’t a great place to keep a Kleenex box in a vehicle and they always seem end up on the floor and out of reach.
A nurse-turned-inventor said she was nearly in a car accident while reaching for a Kleenex and that experience inspired an idea.
The nurse contacted a designer and came up with a product called the Automotive Tissue Valet. The contraption allows a Kleenex box to be secured safely and within easy reach of drivers and passengers who are desperate for a tissue to wipe a runny nose or clean up a spill.
The nurse said that most people have at one point or another rummaged the floor of their car or the backseat in search of a Kleenex or napkin while driving, which can easily lead to a car accident. Having a box of tissues within reach allows the driver to keep his or her focus on the road, she said.
The idea would be especially effective for California residents who suffer from allergies and reach for a Kleenex dozens of times each day.
The product is currently available on Amazon and might make a great stocking-stuffer for those on your list who you know carry Kleenex on them at all times.