Distracted driving - an unscientific test

[William]

Not a scientific test by any means but it certainly makes you think about how much distance a vehicle can cover when a driver glances at their phone. Essentially blind driving.:crap:

http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_t3#/video/bestoftv/2012/06/12/ac-foreman-distracted-driving.cnn






William

[MattTuck]

I think we are acutely aware as people who spend a lot of time on the sides of roads of the dangers of texting while driving.

It really should be totally illegal with hefty penalties, since it essentially makes you drive as if you were impaired.

I personally don't think that people are going to change their behavior on their own. But maybe they can use a campaign like the drive to push seat belt use...

I'm expecting cars that can drive themselves by 2020. It would solve a lot of problems related to road safety, congestion and fuel waste.

[ClutchCargo]

Thanks for posting, William. I fear that this problem will get worse before the situation improves. Unfortunately, I think this will require an increase in negative publicity about the problem and a movement similar to the MADD one against drunk driving. Right now the laws are either non-existent, or they are too weak to make a meaningful impact on driver behavior.

Recently near where I live a teenager using her "smart"phone while driving veered onto the shoulder and killed a jogger. Here's what she's facing in terms of a criminal penalty:


A fatal car crash that killed Kenneth Dorsey, 44, of Norwalk, has raised questions about the responsibility imposed on teen drivers. The driver, a 16-year-old New Canaan girl, was charged with negligent homicide with a motor vehicle, using a hand-held telephone under age 18 while driving and failure to drive in an established lane. . . . According to state law, negligent homicide is a misdemeanor and carries a sentence of no more than six months in jail and/or a fine of up to $2,500.

Entire article here:
http://www.newcanaannewsonline.com/news/article/Experts-weigh-in-on-fatal-car-crash-3580551.php

[MattTuck]

Thanks for posting, William. I fear that this problem will get worse before the situation improves. Unfortunately, I think this will require an increase in negative publicity about the problem and a movement similar to the MADD one against drunk driving. Right now the laws are either non-existent, or they are too weak to make a meaningful impact on driver behavior.

Recently near where I live a teenager using her "smart"phone while driving veered onto the shoulder and killed a jogger. Here's what she's facing in terms of a criminal penalty:


A fatal car crash that killed Kenneth Dorsey, 44, of Norwalk, has raised questions about the responsibility imposed on teen drivers. The driver, a 16-year-old New Canaan girl, was charged with negligent homicide with a motor vehicle, using a hand-held telephone under age 18 while driving and failure to drive in an established lane. . . . According to state law, negligent homicide is a misdemeanor and carries a sentence of no more than six months in jail and/or a fine of up to $2,500.

Entire article here:
http://www.newcanaannewsonline.com/news/article/Experts-weigh-in-on-fatal-car-crash-3580551.php

To be fair, that is the criminal penalty. The civil trial would likely be much more punitive and provide compensation for the family of the victim. It isn't 'justice', but it is more than 2,500 bucks.

[aaronv]

Thanks for posting, William. I fear that this problem will get worse before the situation improves. Unfortunately, I think this will require an increase in negative publicity about the problem and a movement similar to the MADD one against drunk driving. Right now the laws are either non-existent, or they are too weak to make a meaningful impact on driver behavior.



I agree it will require a MADD style movement to create the necessary change. In Massachusetts it is illegal to text while driving.

From what I have observed is that the only real change is that people are concerned with getting caught so they keep the device in their lap instead. So now people look completely away from the road in order to get their next digital fix.

The majority of my close calls with the clueless in the past few months have involved someone making a turn or pulling out into traffic, device in one hand.

[ClutchCargo]

To be fair, that is the criminal penalty. The civil trial would likely be much more punitive and provide compensation for the family of the victim. It isn't 'justice', but it is more than 2,500 bucks.

To be fair? Fair to whom?

My point was deterrence: most of the idiots out there who are inclined to text will, if deterred at all, be much more concerned about the prospect of spending a significant amount of time in jail, as opposed to being sued in a civil trial where likely as not they think they'll be bailed out by insurance.

[MattTuck]

To be fair? Fair to whom?



Was just calling attention to the fact that there are different types of liability than being criminally liable. The laws around driving and the circumstances would determine the charges filed.

Is it an out rage? yes. am I mitigating it? no.

Should drivers have a higher duty for paying attention on the road ways? yes.

But given the laws that we have today, all avenues (whether criminal or civil) should be used in situations like this.

[SamIAm]

I think most people fear jail more than fines, so in theory it should be a better driver of behavior.

I wonder if it won't take some lawsuits, frivoulus or not, against cell phone makers to curb this behavior.

[Jaq]

Actually - I'm too lazy to find the link - a young man in Connecticut was just convicted of some sort of vehicular manslaughter for texting whilst driving. The story had much to do with it being a landmark decision that would lead the way to very stiff penalties and such.

[toolman605]

I agree it will require a MADD style movement to create the necessary change. In Massachusetts it is illegal to text while driving.

From what I have observed is that the only real change is that people are concerned with getting caught so they keep the device in their lap instead. So now people look completely away from the road in order to get their next digital fix.

The majority of my close calls with the clueless in the past few months have involved someone making a turn or pulling out into traffic, device in one hand.

I am in 1000% percent agreement with this!!! I've already told my wife I will be most likely killed by a 17yr old girl texting (instead of driving) in a Toyota.

Out local TV station installed a camera in a teenage girls car and she checked her phone something like 15 times in 10 minutes eventhough she was expressly forbidden by her parents to text while driving.

So how do we start a MADD for texting? Come up with a catchy acronym? Post on Facebook (yuck!) How did MADD do it?

Seriously - I want to do something about this but I don't know where to start.

[toolman605]

A timely article from NPR. A good number of positive responses but it seems like a majority feel, "you can have my smartphone when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers."

http://www.npr.org/2012/06/07/154519836/whatd-make-you-stop-texting-while-driving

[PQJ]

A timely article from NPR. A good number of positive responses but it seems like a majority feel, "you can have my smartphone when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers."

http://www.npr.org/2012/06/07/154519836/whatd-make-you-stop-texting-while-driving

It's the modern 'merican way. I I I is all that matters.

[Tom]

NYS recently made handheld cell use a primary offense. Now all they have to do is start sweeping. Pick a spot, any spot, and just start whacking every single texting or blathering person that comes along. Move it around so people never know when they're going to encounter one. Park 10-12 cruisers about a half a mile from the high school. Ka-ching! You could balance the budget of a small city and fund the public pensions all at the same time, at least for a little while. Then you'd run out of pens and ticket pads.

I'm not joking. Towns, cities, states, just start slamming away at it. Most of the time the people you're writing up are complete creampuffs so it won't be nearly as dangerous as the typical traffic stop where you don't know exactly what you're dealing with, though you do have to worry that some f-ing genius simply won't see the one pulled over ahead of them despite full lights going on the police car and smash it flat. That's probably the biggest concern.

[AngryScientist]

as technology improves and becomes less expensive, i'd like to see driving simulators incorporated into mandatory driver education courses for teens. this would allow good instructors to illustrate just how much of an attention deficit you are in trying to text/talk/call when driving, even fiddling with the radio or iPod. throw some "virtual" cyclists, pedestrians, dogs, toddlers on the road and show the young drivers that it makes a huge difference having your full attention. that might open some eyes for the better.

[Black Dog]

I am in 1000% percent agreement with this!!! I've already told my wife I will be most likely killed by a 17yr old girl texting (instead of driving) in a Toyota.

Out local TV station installed a camera in a teenage girls car and she checked her phone something like 15 times in 10 minutes eventhough she was expressly forbidden by her parents to text while driving.

So how do we start a MADD for texting? Come up with a catchy acronym? Post on Facebook (yuck!) How did MADD do it?

Seriously - I want to do something about this but I don't know where to start.

After 25 years of riding seriously this is my biggest fear too! Drinking and driving is still a joke and texting is not even on the radar. Personal responsibility is dead.

+ Infinity

[AngryScientist]

the other bad thing about texting when driving, of course, is - its common any time of the day.

generally speaking, when i'm riding my bike at 11am on a sunday, there arent too many drunk drivers on the road, texting smart-phone users, on the other hand, are all around us!

[azrider]

It's only going to get worse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB_FmEfedA0

This commerical pissed me right off when I first saw it. It's Cadillac's new "Info-tainment" system with 8" touch screen, and ability to link up to 10 different devices. Plus it's got all sorts of controls on the steering wheel. Couple those "features" WITH your smart phone and you have excuses for never looking at the road again!

Just last month a man (married with 3 kids) was mowed down by a broad who was busy adjusting her GPS device. Dude died instantly.

[fiamme red]

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/jail-time-texting-driver-fatal-wreck-article-1.1093870

A BROOKLYN woman who admitted to texting while driving when she fatally struck a Chinese restaurant owner skirted jail time Monday by striking a plea deal.

Nechama Rothberger, 21, copped to causing the September 2010 wreck that claimed the life of 53-year-old Tian Sheng Lin.

She received five years’ probation and 100 hours of community service, which she’ll serve by telling students of the dangers of distracted driving in a program called Choices and Consequences.

Her lawyer Jeffrey Schwartz said Rothberger is a good person who deserved getting the lenient deal.

“It’s not typical of her,” he said. “She’s a very responsible girl.”

The victim’s family consented to the plea agreement.

They have a pending lawsuit against Rothberger that can pay out a seven-figure settlement, sources said.

Lin, a father of three who emigrated from China to escape repercussions of violating the country’s one-child policy, was rear-ended on his scooter by the texting motorist while stopped at a red light.

[azrider]

http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2012/04/amy_alexander_scottsdale_suv_d.php