Texting Whie Driving and the NTSB

[ls3_kid]

yes and no.

yes you are texting while driving.

no because you are useing a hands free device.

it would be interesting to see how that would play out.

It's no difference than calling somebody.

[daddyo]

I just bought the HTC Rezound, and one of the upgrades coming in early 2012 is the ability to dictate text and emails, similar to what Siri does on the Iphone.

[daddyo]

I don't advocate more laws, just stiffer penalties. It's clear after several studies that texting while driving is more dangerous than drunk driving. The penalty should reflect that as it does with DUIs, but I guess my opinions on DUI penalties are pretty harsh too.

More dangerous in what way?

[ls3_kid]

I just bought the HTC Rezound, and one of the upgrades coming in early 2012 is the ability to dictate text and emails, similar to what Siri does on the Iphone.

Before I had a 4s I used dragon dictation. It is a little more complicated going this route but that is all I had.

App Store - Dragon Dictation

I am sure the app is out for many different platforms.

[TMF]

More dangerous in what way?

Read the studies I posted. Do a google search. Results suggest being 4 times more likely to be involved in a wreck than an impaired driver. 23 times more likely than a non-impaired driver. That is pretty darn significant.

[daddyo]

Why don't they just outlaw being distracted while driving? That would encompass a lot of things, like changing the station on your radio, eating, putting on makeup, etc.

Seems to me that the issue is not so much texting, but being distracted.

[Guest nicemac]

Ban kids in the backseat…

[Guest oldslowchevy]

if i sneeze while driving does that make me a distracted driver? what about farting?.... ohh ohh what about both at the same time? sorry i have not been to sleep yet.

[TMF]

Why don't they just outlaw being distracted while driving? That would encompass a lot of things, like changing the station on your radio, eating, putting on makeup, etc.

Seems to me that the issue is not so much texting, but being distracted.

Well everything within reason. The level of distraction when someone is attempting to read or type a message is much different than reaching over and changing the station. Hell, I don't even need to take my eyes off the road to change the station. The facts are what they are. Plus I've seen this myself on the road. It's pretty self evident that this is a problem.

[daddyo]

Well everything within reason. The level of distraction when someone is attempting to read or type a message is much different than reaching over and changing the station. Hell, I don't even need to take my eyes off the road to change the station. The facts are what they are. Plus I've seen this myself on the road. It's pretty self evident that this is a problem.

Not disputing your facts, but the fact remains that people text and drive even though there are laws against texting and driving. There are some pretty hefty fines against speeding in construction zones, but people do it anyway.

I guess I'm just not convinced that higher fines will make much of a dent.

[G27]

There are already laws for reckless driving - enforce those.

In another hilarious case of unintended consequences, I saw a news report a few months ago where they noted that text related accidents had apparently increased since texting while driving was made illegal in TN as people were now holding their phones down in the lap to text so as not to be seen, taking their eyes off the road for even longer periods of time...

[Guest nicemac]

if i sneeze while driving does that make me a distracted driver? what about farting?.... ohh ohh what about both at the same time? sorry i have not been to sleep yet.

At the same time? You sir, are a man with extremely good control.

[Guest bkelm18]

I have a new iPhone 4S. All I have to do is to speak and the software (Siri) creates and sends the text for me.

I love Siri.

[Guest nicemac]

NTSB To States: Ban All Driver Use Of Mobile Phones

NTSB To States: Ban All Driver Use Of Mobile Phones - Forbes

[Guest db99wj]

NTSB To States: Ban All Driver Use Of Mobile Phones

NTSB To States: Ban All Driver Use Of Mobile Phones - Forbes

This is what I've been hearing on the news yesterday while in the car. Banning all electronic device use while driving. That brings up a major problem for me. My iPhone is also my GPS device that I use a lot, for business uses, I listen to Pandora Radio on my iPhone and of course, it is my phone (I guess that part still works!), texting device, internet device, email, etc.

It sounds like another broad knee jerk reaction that doesn't fix the problem. Banning texting while driving, fine, maybe even internet browsing, but I don't see how they can do it all.

It's funny, the addition of GPS navigation in vehicles increased accidents as well, too much watching the screen and not the road that some cars don't have the screen displays anymore, they have the spoken directions but no screen.

Oh and on the comment of looking at current drivers that are on a device while driving. I saw a ton of it yesterday, 275 mile trip. Texting, browsing, most had GPS's units that were active. I didn't see this yesterday, but most trips I see the one guy that is reading the newspaper or a book while driving down the interstate. I usually give them my best WTF face.

Edited December 14, 2011 by db99wj

[G27]

The government exists to protect us from ourselves - this is exactly what the founding fathers intended in writing the Constitution - it's obvious.

</sarcasm>

[RobertNashville]

We don't need more laws.

Obviously texting and driving is dangerous. Making it more illegal will not do much.

We need less intrusiveness by the .gov.

I would suggest a campaign of education about the dangers oftexting and driving.

Drinking and driving is illegal. Those that want to do it continue on their illegal path. Education about doing it and its dangers has reduced the frequency of it.

I think part of the problem is that we (society) is now recognizing just how potentially dangerous things such as a driver texting or even talking on a cell phone can be but at least in most states, it's not an illegal activity. Education is a good thing and will help and I agree that we do need less intrusiveness by government. But, we have laws for a reason; usually that reason being that we know that "education" is often not enough and so we need laws and enforcement to deal with those who refuse to comply.

This comes down to what I suggest is a true public safety issue, not unlike the reasons we have laws regarding stop signs and traffic lights, etc...as such, this is an issue were the think the government has a legitimate role to play. I think the question then becomes whether it's a federal or state issue to deal with.

[Mr. Brooks]

Some interesting background on the Missouri accident here.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1028951

If the information in the thread is true its pretty lousy that the kid is taking the blame.

[Guest db99wj]

Some interesting background on the Missouri accident here.

Way to tell 1/2 the story........ - Pirate4x4.Com Bulletin Board

If the information in the thread is true its pretty lousy that the kid is taking the blame.

Wow.

[Guest nicemac]

Looks like, while the kid was dumb for texting, he was not to blame for the original accident. Additionally, it looks like texting is just incidental information about the story that really has no affect on the eventual outcome. Even if he hadn't been texting, the buses would have still killed him.

[G27]

Even if he hadn't been texting, the buses would have still killed him.

This appears to be without question.

But we can't let a crisis go to waste...

[Guest nicemac]

But we can't let a crisis go to waste... The way it is nowadays…

[Smith]

We don't need more laws.

Obviously texting and driving is dangerous. Making it more illegal will not do much.

We need less intrusiveness by the .gov.

I would suggest a campaign of education about the dangers oftexting and driving.

Drinking and driving is illegal. Those that want to do it continue on their illegal path. Education about doing it and its dangers has reduced the frequency of it.

Consequences for your actions is by far the best education. That's why sitting with 8yr old little Smith and talking about why stealing is bad didn't work as well as the spanking he got.

[Guest mcgyver210]

Cell Phones are no more distracting than the many other things people do & have done for years.

1. Adjusting the Radio or changing the disc

2. Reading the Paper or other media

3. Shaving

4. Women applying Mackup

5. Passengers are sometimes very destracting

6. Existing wrecks on side of road

7. Police using Emergency Lights for a Private Business Church etc.

8. Eating food while driving

9. Using a CB Radio

Point is there are many more distractions than Cell Phones. Why not blame it on the true problem humans never know their limits. Of course no matter what Government Agencies will always be above the laws or statistics because we all know LEOs in particular have Personal Cells, Business cells, multiple radios & LapTops that they will & do use while driving. I use them as an example only because I have seen them texting while driving.

[Smith]

Cell Phones are no more distracting than the many other things people do & have done for years.

1. Adjusting the Radio or changing the disc

2. Reading the Paper or other media

3. Shaving

4. Women applying Mackup

5. Passengers are sometimes very destracting

6. Existing wrecks on side of road

7. Police using Emergency Lights for a Private Business Church etc.

8. Eating food while driving

9. Using a CB Radio

Point is there are many more distractions than Cell Phones. Why not blame it on the true problem humans never know their limits. Of course no matter what Government Agencies will always be above the laws or statistics because we all know LEOs in particular have Personal Cells, Business cells, multiple radios & LapTops that they will & do use while driving. I use them as an example only because I have seen them texting while driving.

Maybe maybe not, but I can tell you as person who rides a motorcycle daily people on their phones are much more of a problem than anything else. In fact the two wrecks I have been inolved in where due to cell phones.