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Distracted driving accidents and deaths have SURPASSED drunk driving statistics.
Millenials down to teens are totally addicted to tech gadgets ....it's like a disease and it's killing innocent people like the grandmother with her two grandchildren that were mowed down recently by a teenager in a 3/4 ton pickup.Most pay a very small price for these crimes and it's time to put a stop to it.
TWI should have the same penalties as drunk driving....loss of license and a heavy fine.It's only going to get worse as todays kids grow up attached at the hip to their cell phones.
Millenials down to teens are totally addicted to tech gadgets ....it's like a disease...
Funny, when *I* look around, it's the middle-age crowd who's permanently face-a-glow with the younger crowd sometimes looking up/around (might be the millennials I personally know, they're more the outdoorsy/adventure type).
Anyway, it's not "like a disease", it is an actual Addiction. Just like alcohol or drugs, or food for some people... there's a dopamine release with "internet points" (likes, favorites, thumbs up, whatever...) and people with the susceptibility for addiction, across ANY age group, tend to get addicted.
Personally, I think a hard line out to be taken. Phones become disabled to change/manipulation at speeds between 5mph and 200mph. All phones. Incoming calls go to voice mail, no alerts for texts, GPS is set and fixed (like in standalone and OEM units), music plays and Maybe can be skipped ahead/back.
I can hear the whaaambulance in the distance now for those of you who are going "but, but, but..... what about the Passengers!" Yup, them too. You should all know by now that this world is dumbed down to the lowest person..... "no child left behind" situation where the capable are made to suffer because the incapable have to be catered to. If some people simply can't put their phone down to drive, then everyone loses that Privilege... it's either take away the phone, or the car.... which would you rather live without?
But, that won't happen. So my #2 option is Heavy fines for use. Cause an accident and phone data is confiscated and used to prosecute. Make it hurt, $5k for the first offense, $20k for the second and $50k+a year in jail for the third. Cries of "but the passenger was using the phone" would be resolved with a simple bit that says all phones are confiscated and investigated. On both sides (at fault and victim) too.
cell phone use, while driving is already ilegal in California, but I see people use them all the time. No enforcements.
That's what happens when you pass all these feel-good laws. A large segment of the population violates the law and they know the chances of actual punitive consequences are almost nil. Pass all the laws you want. There simply aren't enough police to stop but a fraction of one percent of the violators.
I agree that cell phone usage should be banned while driving (unless perhaps in the situation that it is hands free usage of the device). Any cell phone call or text can wait until the drive has safely pulled off of the road or arrived at their destination. No text or call is worth dying or killing someone over. However, I have not only seen young people on their phone - I've seen grannies do it, too. It affects any age, and some studies are showing that teens and young adults are learning the habits from their parents driving habits. Although, it's a hard one to enforce even if it is the law because, "How are you going to prove they were actually on their phone?" It can get tricky, and people may only pick up their phones for a few seconds and put them down - still long enough to get into an accident. Can't catch 'em all.
Can't phones tell how fast they're moving? They have GPS's, they have clocks. Divide the position change by the time change? Can't they do that?
If a phone thinks it's moving more than 5 MPH it shuts off. Or 10 MPH.
The problem is that a car needs one driver and might have multiple passengers
As a passenger I have the right to use my phone as much or little as I want because I am not driving
You can't make a phone that reacts like ALL phone holders might be the driver in a car
And because of the blue tooth capacity in car systems there is only one phone on Bluetooth at a time
There is no way to prevent this abuse except to make people cognizant or fear the cost of texting while driving so that they stop doing it
So far there is no real solution to driving DUI and don't think there will be one for texting while driving...
Distracted driving became a cash cow for the legal profession thus if there is a tiny opportunity to link an accident with distraction they will exploit it even if it has nothing to do with an accident per se. Driving without a distraction is a distraction in itself, just try turning off all the distraction for the extended period of time, I dare you. Dwi and distracted driving labels frequently let a genuinely responsible party to get away with a murder, literally.
That's what happens when you pass all these feel-good laws. A large segment of the population violates the law and they know the chances of actual punitive consequences are almost nil. Pass all the laws you want. There simply aren't enough police to stop but a fraction of one percent of the violators.
If insurance carries added language to policies that made coverage void if the driver caused an accident while using a phone NOT in hands-free mode when you might see people start to modify behavior
Right now I don't think there is concerted effort on part of police to determine IF driver was on phone or texting at time
In my area of FL, there are multiple fender benders daily where there is no injury really just damage to the autos---when there is no significant injury the police just don't get involved although there is always an insurance cost effect---
Since all states require car insurance for car owners, I would think car insurance companies COULD have an immediate and significant impact on behavior IF THEY WOULD TAKE ACTION
Since I think most states have laws against texting while driving and even using a phone directly vs hands-free I would think the states would support some form of insurance pressure
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