Consider it a sign of the times … not even the drive to work can be considered downtime any more. A North American study released last month shows that commuters are continuing to check e-mail and text messages on the way to waork, in spite of possible safety risks.

When aftermarketNews (AMN) polled its readership recently to gauge their level of connectedness, nearly half of AMN readers (45 percent) said they too stay connected (either via cell phone, blackberry, or other electronic device) to their workplace during the daily commute.

The reason for this strong desire to stay connected? The Commuting and Staying Connected omnibus, conducted by Angus Reid Strategies for IMS Inc., found that 32 percent of Americans and 23 percent of Canadians think that it is important to their work-life balance to have access to text-messaging, phone and e-mail while commuting. Some say they are feeling pressure from their employers. Roughly a quarter of Canadians (24 percent) and a fifth of Americans (21 percent) say they have missed an important e-mail or opted out of a call from work while commuting.

THIS WEEK'S POLL

2008 has been a tumultuous year for the automotive industry. AMN picked the three most clicked on stories of the year and now want you to. Tell us, what do you think has been the biggest story of the year, in terms of its impact on the aftermarket?

a)     GM’s possible sale of ACDelco

b)     The Financial Meltdown of the Detroit 3

c)      The Chinese Tire Valve Stem Recall

To cast your vote, go to aftermarketNews.com and scroll to the “Poll” section at the bottom of the page.