Texting and driving commonplace among high-school students

[fiamme red]

Cycling is going to become more dangerous in coming years as we have so many new drivers on the road who can't be separated from their cell phones for a minute.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/07/09/half_of_grade_12_students_say_they_text_and_drive_ survey.html

Almost 50 per cent of Grade 12 students who drive and more than one-third of all licensed youth in high school say they’ve texted while driving in the past year, according to an ongoing survey of Ontario adolescents.

The finding is from the 2013 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, a wide-ranging biannual measure of youth mental health, well-being and risk behaviours conducted for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health...

“It’s a very dangerous behaviour,” Dr. Robert Mann, a senior scientist with CAMH, said about texting and driving. “It can increase the chances of being in a collision more than 20 times, and we know that the Ontario government has been making efforts to raise people’s awareness of this and introduced the distracted diving offence.”

One of Mann’s research areas is the epidemiology of alcohol-related problems like drunk driving. He said that young people appear to be getting the message on not consuming before getting behind the wheel, but the similarity to texting is not coming through...

[Louis]

We only have lawmakers to blame for not passing laws to prevent this, or the LEOs for not enforcing the unsafe driving laws that already exist, whether or not they explicitly prohibit texting while driving.

Until they are stopped, kids will try to get away with as much as they can.

[Admiral Ackbar]

this may be true (sure sounds like it) but I've noticed young drivers generally give me a pretty wide berth on the road. moreso than elderly drivers for sure

[ultraman6970]

The only way for that to change is to have cops and judges giving heavy tickets for driving and texiting plus... take the kids the DL away for a year just because they are young and that will make them change the habit, that would put the problem under control

[Peter P.]

It's not just the kiddies that are the problem...

[witcombusa]

It's not just the kiddies that are the problem...

This ^


Watch what goes by when you are sitting at a light. I see more than 1 in 3 with a phone in their hand during work commute. Utterly amazing :eek:

[Zoodles]

Millenials are the root of all evil and can't be trusted too drive without texting...wait a sec...I see all demographics texting at lights, 1 in 3 sounds about right.

The only solution to this epidemic is driverless vehicles - full stop.

[Jgrooms]

When you get hammered from behind, save your computer's time for a match to the perp's cell... I know if I'm still able, I will be on law enforcement to ck the phone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ultraman6970]

But you have to start somewhere... old dudes will start not using their cars soon, and they cant use super phones too well so that leaves them off. You have to start being tough with some community after all and kids is the way to start because then their kids are going to be well educated and then the lines moves forwards ...


It's not just the kiddies that are the problem...

[flydhest]

This is why cars should not be allowed on the road. If they want respect as traffic, they have to follow the laws. Until drivers obey the laws they don't deserve to be respected.

[Dead Man]

I think everyone does it. And yea- I think kids usually are more courteous to bikes than old farts in Caddies. That really doesn't help with regard to getting HIT because of distracted driving, though- courteous or not, if they're looking at their phone instead of you they'll never have an opportunity to courteously drive around you.

Sort of off-topic, though... anyone ever heard of a cyclist getting a ticket for talking/texting while "driving" their bike? Here in Oregon, the entire applicable vehicle code is applied to bicycles, to include DUI (as has been confirmed by application), but I'd never thought about TEXTING while riding until a couple days ago. I live in a rural area with great country roads interrupted by what I call "speed bump towns" that are incredibly boring to ride through.... so I sometimes take the opportunity to check emails, make phone calls, or text. The other day I was chuckling at a stupid text from a friend and I looked up to see a cop, waiting for me to clear the intersection, scowling at me. Suddenly it hit me..... I wiped the retarded grin off my face and put the phone up. Don't know if he was scowling because he hates cyclists in general, or if it was to passive-aggressively tell me to put the phone away...

Whatever the case, now I'm kind of paranoid about it. The way the law is written, it's definitely a ticketable offense. But is it dangerous? Do you think distracting bicycling is as big a sin as distracted driving??

[Dead Man]

This is why cars should not be allowed on the road. If they want respect as traffic, they have to follow the laws. Until drivers obey the laws they don't deserve to be respected.

http://www.lolroflmao.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/I-see-what-you-did-there.jpg

[witcombusa]

I think everyone does it. And yea- I think kids usually are more courteous to bikes than old farts in Caddies. That really doesn't help with regard to getting HIT because of distracted driving, though- courteous or not, if they're looking at their phone instead of you they'll never have an opportunity to courteously drive around you.




No, EVERYONE does not text or talk on the phone while driving. Some people actually just drive their car...

[fuzzalow]

I think everyone does it.
No that is a gross assumption that is a poor rationalization for a dangerous habit.
I live in a rural area with great country roads interrupted by what I call "speed bump towns" that are incredibly boring to ride through.... so I sometimes take the opportunity to check emails, make phone calls, or text.

LOL. The simplicity, tranquility and quiet solitude of riding a bike through a boring town induces you to do THAT?!?! Now I will make a gross assumption that there is nothing about the content therein to those multiple channels of dubious signal to noise that cannot wait!

I live a city life & profession. As such I envy the solitude and comparative peace that may be indigenous to your lifestyle but not mine. So to clutter up precious moments of quiet respite with more extraneous inputs of questionable value is anathema to me. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side!

[MadRocketSci]

i was just driving to lunch down a fairly fast road that's used by more than a few cyclists, and was caught behind someone driving 10 mph below the speed limit and kinda weaving around their lane. When it was ok to pass I did so and as I went by took a peek and saw a dude playing with his phone while driving. What is an appropriate action that nicely says "hey *french word for shower*-bag, put that f***ing phone down before you hurt someone"? Luckily in this case there were no cyclists up ahead in the shoulder.

Side note, why do Colorado front range drivers love driving outside their lane (like in shoulders and such) so much?? In the winter I can understand that no one can see the lane markers, but in the summer???

[Dead Man]

No, EVERYONE does not text or talk on the phone while driving. Some people actually just drive their car...

No that is a gross assumption that is a poor rationalization for a dangerous habit.


LOL. The simplicity, tranquility and quiet solitude of riding a bike through a boring town induces you to do THAT?!?! Now I will make a gross assumption that there is nothing about the content therein to those multiple channels of dubious signal to noise that cannot wait!

I live a city life & profession. As such I envy the solitude and comparative peace that may be indigenous to your lifestyle but not mine. So to clutter up precious moments of quiet respite with more extraneous inputs of questionable value is anathema to me. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side!

"I think everyone does it" was meant to mean I think all cohorts are equally represented- not that literally everyone does it. I do not text while driving a car, and I probably won't do it while riding through town anymore either.

As to the comment about the simplicity and tranquility of riding through a small town.... The surrounding landscape is peaceful and tranquil- these towns, and the town specifically that I'm talking about (with the cop incident) are not tranquil or fun at all. They're just dirty, inhospitable spots of congestion and diesel smoke and hole-in-the-wall taverns and confederate flags and fat cops. Yea, I find myself getting bored meandering through on my way to some epic climb or personal TT.

[harryblack]

I'm sure others have suggested this but I'll reiterate anyway:

Texting + driving should be treated like DUI, no excuses, no exceptions...

As I understand it-- and please correct me if I'm wrong-- it's NOT standard in car accidents (of any kind: car versus wall, ditch, truck, other car, cyclist, pedestrian) to get the phone records, though I'd hope it'd becoming more common? (And I'm otherwise a great stickler for the 4th Amendment.)

[StephenBoynton]

With all the technology out there and all that our "pocket computers" can do. I am surpised that the phone couldn's just simply detect movement via GPS or ATT connection and shut down your keyboard while your moving. Kind of like your GPS in your car. Once you go over 5mph it doesnt let you type anymore. This to me would be an easy code to write and a simple software update.

[Dead Man]

I'm sure others have suggested this but I'll reiterate anyway:

Texting + driving should be treated like DUI, no excuses, no exceptions...

As I understand it-- and please correct me if I'm wrong-- it's NOT standard in car accidents (of any kind: car versus wall, ditch, truck, other car, cyclist, pedestrian) to get the phone records, though I'd hope it'd becoming more common? (And I'm otherwise a great stickler for the 4th Amendment.)

It's going to be different in every area, as far as SOP. Any major department will have dedicated crash investigators whose job it is to find criminal liability in any major crash, if it exists. These guys are generally really good at their job- it's a science these days, and checking phone records is a very common thing to do. Any crash investigator who cares about his job (wants to advance in position, status and income), will make it part of his SOP. Around here, the State Police do much (maybe even most?) of the crash investigation, because our smaller departments don't have the resources. They're going to check phone records if there's any question.

[Dead Man]

With all the technology out there and all that our "pocket computers" can do. I am surpised that the phone couldn's just simply detect movement via GPS or ATT connection and shut down your keyboard while your moving. Kind of like your GPS in your car. Once you go over 5mph it doesnt let you type anymore. This to me would be an easy code to write and a simple software update.

What if you're a passengeR? On a bus? Walking? Train?

[fuzzalow]

As to the comment about the simplicity and tranquility of riding through a small town.... The surrounding landscape is peaceful and tranquil- these towns, and the town specifically that I'm talking about (with the cop incident) are not tranquil or fun at all. They're just dirty, inhospitable spots of congestion and diesel smoke and hole-in-the-wall taverns and confederate flags and fat cops. Yea, I find myself getting bored meandering through on my way to some epic climb or personal TT.

OK, I made an incorrect assumption of projecting my own idyliic imagery into a locale that is, in reality, quite the opposite. The scenario you describe is something in my own naiveté I would not envisage. How little I know of rural destinations. Forgive me.

[Dead Man]

OK, I made an incorrect assumption of projecting my own idyliic imagery into a locale that is, in reality, quite the opposite. The scenario you describe is something in my own naiveté I would not envisage. How little I know of rural destinations. Forgive me.

There's great small towns out there in remote locales. Higher income/martini farmer/urban escapee boutique towns with freshly painted picket fences and wine tasting and tourism. Unfortunately, they're not the ones I'm talking about. Everything out here needed a new roof and fresh coat of paint 30 years ago, and anyone with the physical beauty or intelligence to advance in life moved away at the age of 18.

[Ahneida Ride]

The only way for that to change is to have cops and judges giving heavy tickets for driving and texiting plus... take the kids the DL away for a year just because they are young and that will make them change the habit, that would put the problem under control

Amen, Bingo, we have a winner.

A DWI will cost ya 10K ? when you add it all up ?

[witcombusa]

I'm sure others have suggested this but I'll reiterate anyway:

Texting + driving should be treated like DUI, no excuses, no exceptions...

As I understand it-- and please correct me if I'm wrong-- it's NOT standard in car accidents (of any kind: car versus wall, ditch, truck, other car, cyclist, pedestrian) to get the phone records, though I'd hope it'd becoming more common? (And I'm otherwise a great stickler for the 4th Amendment.)

It's unenforceable. Texting and handheld use. Yes, they can check records AFTER the accidents but that's really not solving anything.

Oh, and it will continue to get worse, not better too

[buddybikes]

Verizon is a pure evil company that can care less about deaths, as long as they make their money. They must have massive donations for lobbying to keep laws from being developed.

Also insane, cars now have internet.

I am convinced this is the way I am going down

[witcombusa]

Verizon is a pure evil company that can care less about deaths, as long as they make their money. They must have massive donations for lobbying to keep laws from being developed.

Also insane, cars now have internet.

I am convinced this is the way I am going down


Verizon is no different than any of the others. Money is why they are in "business".

[oldpotatoe]

Verizon is a pure evil company that can care less about deaths, as long as they make their money. They must have massive donations for lobbying to keep laws from being developed.

Also insane, cars now have internet.

I am convinced this is the way I am going down

Verizon and all the other telecommunications companies along with Apple and samsung and all the phone makes...lots of $, billion$..lots make it into the pockets of politicions..lots..

[rugbysecondrow]

Impressionable kids have grown up seeing their parents texting. If your Dad has 3 beers and drives, so can you. If Mom drives with no seatbelt on because it is too confining, so can you. They are mimicking behavior they don't know is wrong. Seatbelts use and drinking and driving has been impacted by enforcement by adults which has trickled down to new drivers. My Dad would only wear his seatbelt when kids were in the car, but now it is common place. Training teens in school is important though too. I suspect many teens put pressure on older folks to stop smoking, wear seatbelts etc. Sandwiching the issue. Texting and PDA use is new,relatively speaking, that it will take a while for PDA use, acceptability and society change to occur.

I have stopped using my phone in the car but for blue tooth so I can help set an example for the little ones in the back seat.

[Nooch]

i was just driving to lunch down a fairly fast road that's used by more than a few cyclists, and was caught behind someone driving 10 mph below the speed limit and kinda weaving around their lane. When it was ok to pass I did so and as I went by took a peek and saw a dude playing with his phone while driving. What is an appropriate action that nicely says "hey *french word for shower*-bag, put that f***ing phone down before you hurt someone"? Luckily in this case there were no cyclists up ahead in the shoulder.


I honk. Often. Every time I see the driver in front of me look down, I honk. They weave, I honk. The throw their hands up wondering why I'm honking, I honk.

Eventually I'll make the 'phone' with my hand and 'hang it up'

[buddybikes]

Unless something is done legislatively and technically more of our fellow riders (including you and I ) could end up under a car wheel.

Many cyclists have given up road riding due to this increasing danger

[oldpotatoe]

"I think everyone does it" was meant to mean I think all cohorts are equally represented- not that literally everyone does it. I do not text while driving a car, and I probably won't do it while riding through town anymore either.

As to the comment about the simplicity and tranquility of riding through a small town.... The surrounding landscape is peaceful and tranquil- these towns, and the town specifically that I'm talking about (with the cop incident) are not tranquil or fun at all. They're just dirty, inhospitable spots of congestion and diesel smoke and hole-in-the-wall taverns and confederate flags and fat cops. Yea, I find myself getting bored meandering through on my way to some epic climb or personal TT.

Ya ought to ride up to Ward....watch out for the guy with the sword...

[fuzzalow]

Unless something is done legislatively and technically more of our fellow riders (including you and I ) could end up under a car wheel.

Many cyclists have given up road riding due to this increasing danger

Nothing will be done in the short term because the group at risk, cyclists & perhaps runners, are a small subgroup participating in activities that the vast majority of average 'Muricans feel no connection to.

But almost everyone drives, albeit poorly, and everyone that yammers incessant drivel about mundane trivia thinks what they have to say is important. And yet probably 90% of what is said is "I'm in the car and on my way...". All the rest is BS. IMO people elevate taking calls as a priority because it makes them feel in touch and important. It has also become a habituated response. Fighting automobile cell phone use therefore pits the inherent "feel good" of using the device to a more ambiguous public safety issue that does not regularly show horrific calamity from accidents - the average 'Murican will not take notice of a bicyclist injury in a car-centric society.

I take a rather bleak view of cell phone use & automobiles being positively changed in the public sphere any time soon. Because unlike larger societal issues such as gay marriage and anti-smoking where the public opinion changed rapidly and uniformly, these two issues were largely non-intrusive to a person's daily life. A cell phone is much more intimate to some people's lives. To the point of addiction, distraction and reliance for some - which is great for business and right where the mobile telcos want to be. But from the point of view of greater society, a cell phone is just another way to isolate people from normal human interaction and facilitates self absorption.

Why is the restaurant bet about putting cell phones in the middle of the table and the first diner who reaches for their phone pays for dinner so difficult a bet to win for some people?

[Grant McLean]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqSDWoAhvLU

[witcombusa]

Ya ought to ride up to Ward....watch out for the guy with the sword...

oldpotatoe,
I like the gentleman in Sunset who has his chrongraph screens to check his handloads just off the side of the "main drag" through "town". :banana:

[soulspinner]

Riding in the morn b4 work, woman swaps lanes coming at me head on, I have no choice but to swap lanes myself, she looks up, flips me off as she barely misses me, phone in hand. I sometimes wonder how many lives I have left....................

[chiasticon]

Nothing will be done in the short term because the group at risk, cyclists & perhaps runners, are a small subgroup participating in activities that the vast majority of average 'Muricans feel no connection to.

while that's true, it's also true that i feel no connection to some businessman who's constantly looking at emails and taking phone calls for work, at all hours, even right after they've left the office. when i leave work and drive home, my day is done and generally there's nothing so important (work-wise) that i can't wait to find out about it until i've gotten home. i only look at my phone to change what i'm listening to. or if there's a text i've received, i'll wait until i'm safely sitting immobile at a stop light to look at it; emails can always wait. if i'm getting incessant texts, i'll just call the person; via hands-free bluetooth of course. but a guy who feels like he may be losing his livelihood if he's not in touch with some event happening right now can't relate to that in the least. not saying i sympathize with such people or that their actions are justified (and let's be honest, the majority of people we see on phones are just on FB or texting BS that can wait), just that we're totally disconnected. what i see as a careless and potentially catastrophic action, they see as an everyday necessity. how can we possibly bridge that gap?

as far as enforcing the law of not texting and driving, i think it's similar to not wearing a seatbelt or driving only 5 mph over the speed limit. pulling someone over and assessing them a fine for such an infraction is deemed to be too insignificant a fine to be worth the officer's time (and that of anyone else processing the paperwork). they could stop such a violator, but in the time they're taking to deal with them they may miss someone else who would've given them three times the money. the answer of course is to punish such violations with very serious fines, but i don't see it happening.

[redir]

What if you're a passengeR? On a bus? Walking? Train?

It used to be ok in some states for passengers to drink in a car as long as the driver was sober. I think that's gone away in every state now. Maybe that's the only solution? You need to text? Pull over. Cars are for driving.

[rugbysecondrow]

It used to be ok in some states for passengers to drink in a car as long as the driver was sober. I think that's gone away in every state now. Maybe that's the only solution? You need to text? Pull over. Cars are for driving.

Cars are not for driving, they are for transportation. Can people not use a phone, text, email, GPS directions while sitting in a car? Folks might not text, but how many use their music, GPS mapping, camera functions?

Before PDAs, how many people read the paper, looked for CDs or cassettes, day dreamed etc etc?

The root cause is people, it is not the phone.

[redir]

Yeah yeah yeah cars don't kill people...