Let's STOP Texting and driving. (neighborhood, school, law)

[GeneR]

Here' is a copy of an email sent to my state legislator. I hope you will also take action:

Thank you for your service to our district. I come to you requesting specific action. As you are aware there is currently law against texting and driving:

"It is illegal for drivers of all ages to compose, read, or send electronic messages or access the Internet on a wireless device when the vehicle is in motion or part of traffic. This includes being stopped in traffic or at a light." (M.S. 169.475).

As a professional school bus driver I can tell you, without exception and without exaggeration, I see motorists at every stop sign/light texting. I see motorists every day texting while their vehicle is in motion. Ms. Wills, this is an epidemic and it is resulting in human and property damage in our state. Our law enforcement agencies need help. I am requesting that you take immediate action by proposing and working toward substantially increasing penalties for such violators.

We do not need more hearings or studies. The evidence is already clear and incontrovertible, texting and driving needs to be stopped!

I recommend an offender be given a fine of $300 to $500 for first offense and their driving privileges be suspended for 30 to 60 days. Second offense would result in a fine of $400 to $750 and suspension of license for 6 to 12 months.

As the tenor of my email suggests I am not asking you to consider or think about anything. I am asking for specific ACTION on behalf of the residents of this and all districts of Minnesota. It's time to address this very dangerous behavior.

Again, thank you for your service to the district and our state. I look forward to working with you in anyway I can to see that our law enforcement is able to properly address this problem.



From: Gene E Rusco

[Ghengis]

Originally Posted by GeneR

Here' is a copy of an email sent to my state legislator. I hope you will also take action:

Thank you for your service to our district. I come to you requesting specific action. As you are aware there is currently law against texting and driving:

"It is illegal for drivers of all ages to compose, read, or send electronic messages or access the Internet on a wireless device when the vehicle is in motion or part of traffic. This includes being stopped in traffic or at a light." (M.S. 169.475).

As a professional school bus driver I can tell you, without exception and without exaggeration, I see motorists at every stop sign/light texting. I see motorists every day texting while their vehicle is in motion. Ms. Wills, this is an epidemic and it is resulting in human and property damage in our state. Our law enforcement agencies need help. I am requesting that you take immediate action by proposing and working toward substantially increasing penalties for such violators.

We do not need more hearings or studies. The evidence is already clear and incontrovertible, texting and driving needs to be stopped!

I recommend an offender be given a fine of $300 to $500 for first offense and their driving privileges be suspended for 30 to 60 days. Second offense would result in a fine of $400 to $750 and suspension of license for 6 to 12 months.

As the tenor of my email suggests I am not asking you to consider or think about anything. I am asking for specific ACTION on behalf of the residents of this and all districts of Minnesota. It's time to address this very dangerous behavior.

Again, thank you for your service to the district and our state. I look forward to working with you in anyway I can to see that our law enforcement is able to properly address this problem.



From: Gene E Rusco

trouble is by the time you call 911 the perp has likely left the scene, I believe we all have the power to make citizens' arrests when the need arises which is how we should react to these scofflaws, having them look up from their wanton texting at the business end of a large caliber handgun will put an end to this

[WoodburyWoody]

Why stop at texting? Distracted and, frankly, poor driving due to breaking other unenforced laws is as big an issue as texting.

[uptown_urbanist]

When I commuted via a bus that went on the freeway I had a good view down into the cars, and sometimes I did an informal count of how many people had their phones out and were texting. It was often nearly 50%!

I also don't think people should be allowed to be on the phone while driving. I have often had drivers turn on me while I was attempting to cross the street, and it's almost always some distracted driver holding a phone to their ear.

Of course there are also other distracted driver issues, but texting and making phone calls is an obvious one that we could crack down on. And if people do get into an accident while making poor choices, let's up those consequences, too, and provide some incentives for people to stop engaging in stupid behaviors while behind the wheel.

[polo_golf_guy]

I would disagree with a complete phone ban while driving. Plenty can use their phone responsibility. Some people can't handle it so ticket them under existing law. We don't need to be nannies about every little thing.

[uptown_urbanist]

I agree we don't need to worry about every "little" thing, but the statistics about cell phone use and driving suggests that it's not a "little" issue.

[Ace_TX]

i kid you not, i was in my truck driving down a major street. it was slightly sprinling outside

i looked over to my right, in the next lane there was a white woman in a black late model MB driving with an ipad laid out across the steering wheel typing and driving... i was like wtf

people are crazy... wth is that important that you will sit there and drive, look down and try to type. it only takes a split second for an accident to occur

how many times have all of us been in a car and you take your eyes off the road for a sec and narrowly avoid a disaster.

i can honestly say that i never texted while driving even at a light. i try to avoid talking on the phone and driving as much as possible but it is a distraction and should be avoided. especially when the conversation can wait

[rzzzz]

I have seen some crazy distracted driving moves, like a woman with the mirror down doing her eye makeup while on the phone, steering with her elbows while making a left into one of the busiest intersections in the Chicago loop. In my neighborhood in the st. paul burbs it's always surprising when I see someone driving who is NOT on the phone or texting.

[Atalanta]

Careful here, you might be treading on the people who want "Freedom" from Government and not a Dictatorship

[GeneR]

Folks....focus...there are currently laws banning the use of the electronic device. I'm urging law makers to put some real teeth into the law that exists. It's killing people. 15% of fatals involved texting.