States Consider Another Ban: Driving While Texting
Mon Mar 26, 2007 9:24PM EDT
See Comments (167)
In my very dense state of New Jersey, legislators are considering yet another ban during driving. This time it's not just talking on cell phones, it's texting. And unlike talking on cell phones, which can only be cited by a police officer if he pulls you over for another infraction, officers would be able to pull drivers over specifically for texting if they spot them doing it while driving many miles per hour.
Drivers caught texting would be fined between $100 and $250, according to the bill that has 20 co-sponsors in both parties.
New Jersey is not alone on this one. At least three other states, including Washington, Arizona, and Connecticut, are considering similar legislation. Washington's state House passed a bill after a December pileup on a Seattle highway that police say was caused by a driver texting on a BlackBerry.
I'm sure most of us are guilty of talking on cell phones while driving, even if you live in a state where it is banned. Yet studies show again and again, it's a dangerous thing to do. And there's no difference if you're using a hands-free device; it's the brain activity that counts. Researchers have found talking on the phone while driving cuts the driver's brain activity in half in the areas of the brain needed to notice what's happening around him on the road.
So just imagine what happens to brain activity when a driver is focusing on punching out letters with his thumbs while driving on a highway or local roads. Yikes. I don't think another law is going to dissuade wired drivers from texting, but maybe more stories like the one about a Denver teen who accidentally killed a 63-year bicyclist while texting on his phone will. Patrick Sims, the remorseful high school senior, told CBS News in the fall: "I think about this car accident every single day of my life."
Admit it: Do you text on your cell phones while driving? If so, what will take you to stop—a law, a devastating accident, or, how about this, common sense?
Top 5 Posts
More About Cell Phones
Comments on States Consider Another Ban: Driving While Texting
Post a Comment
Join in the discussion. Here you'll see the comments in the order they were posted.
-
67 Posted by patlanticcity2000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:01PM EDT Report Abuse
As a professional tractor trailer driver, I witness a multitude of poor driving habits daily. Half of the "near misses" that I see, 97% of the time at least 1 party is holding a phone. Talking on the phone IS in fact different than speaking to a passenger as a passenger can point out a turn ahead or a road hazard. I believe that people are more capable of driving and using a Bluetooth device as it leaves both hands (theoretically) on the wheel and does not obstruct the driver's vision as much. I have seen people e-mailing, eating, reading, texting, masturbating, slapping their kids, writing a crossword (yes, on the highway!!! at 75mph) just not focusing on the task at hand.... arriving safely and not endangering others around them. We've reached a point where there needs to be some official intervention as we now have a baseline to guide us in regard to percentage of accidents and mortality rates from them. In short, yes, unfortunately we DO NEED A LAW AND A HEAVY FINE with liberal enforcement, because we've failed to regulate ourselves prior to now. If people would drive with a lot more consideration for others, perhaps this thread wouldn't even be posted today.... Driving is a privilege, NOT A RIGHT!!!
-
68 Posted by forgivebutdonotforget911 on Tue May 8, 2007 6:56PM EDT Report Abuse
Pass a law and people will just ignore it. The answer to all of this is to ban the cell phone companies from allow calls to be passed from cell to cell. That way you can talk, text, photo message all you want IF you stop the car. If you keep driving, you will pass out of range of the cell and lose the call. Once people realize they can not drive and use their cell phone at the same time, they will be forced to make a choice.
-
69 Posted by chaisr6987 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:21PM EDT Report Abuse
ok, i see how this can be dangerous but i do it all the time. I dont see that it needs to be a law. There are getting to be too many of them around. texting while driving is a matter of common sense and a personal choice. The government should not step in on things like this in my opinion.
-
70 Posted by castswim@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:19PM EDT Report Abuse
I text while at red lights - if someone sends me a text while I'm driving, I call them to respond on my headset rather than typing the response - if I really have to send a text response, I make my teenage son type it for me instead or it waits until I get where I'm going
-
71 Posted by samwalter111 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:02PM EDT Report Abuse
My daughter was involved in an accident in March while texting. She was traveling at 80 mph on the freeway, lost control of her car and hit a tree. She is lucky to be alive. She does have the loss of her right leg below the knee to remind her of this accident for the rest of her life.
-
72 Posted by inthewind1450@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:24PM EDT Report Abuse
what really needs to happen to prevent use of texting and talking on cell phones (and downloading songs, vids, etc) while driving is to use technology to disable cell phones while the car is not in park (except for emergency numbers). the technology is capable of doing this, we just need the legislators to impose it on car and phone manufacturers. how many more lives have to be lost before this happens??
-
73 Posted by sport19249 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:36PM EDT Report Abuse
I happen to be one of those people who text while driving,and have been doing it for sometime now. If you pay attention to what you are doing its no big deal its the people who can't walk and chew gum at the same time that ruin it for everyone else. I have never had a single accident while texting and driving because I pay attention to the road a little more than the phone. If people could learn how to do that then there wouldn't be an issue here. It is a simple thing called multi tasking if you can't multi task then you shouldn't be trying to text while you drive, if you can then I say text all you want.
-
74 Posted by rockstarrprincess on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:47PM EDT Report Abuse
i'll admit it, i text and drive at the same time. but i really don't have to look at the phone to text. i think many teens today have pretty much memorized which ones to hit to spell out the right words. but i wait till i come to a stop light to check what the other person wrote to me. to this day i've never had an accident
-
75 Posted by tcadillachunter on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:57PM EDT Report Abuse
I don't think it will matter if states make a law or not to stop it because what are the chance someone (specifically a cop) sees you. Police officers have too much to worry about as it is. Now you want them to sit there with a radar gun and try to see if someone is texting while they are driving. It won't work for the offier and especially the driver. Now police officers will have another b.s. excuse to pull people over.
-
76 Posted by mmartuscello09 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:23PM EDT Report Abuse
When i first started driving my parents always told me, "it's not your driving were worried about,its the OTHER drivers we're worried about" and that's absolutly true. Even if using your cell phone doesnt consume all of your attention, or if you're the type of person that can text without looking at your phone, it still requires your attention. You still might be able to drive well, but you're not paying attention to other people and its affecting your ability to avoid dangerous situations, like the person speeding to get home or trying to beat the yellow light.
-
77 Posted by tiggeritian on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:10PM EDT Report Abuse
I'll admit, I tried texting when driving once. I almost ran into the concrete barrier, and that was enough to convince me that texting while driving is just plain stupid.
-
78 Posted by saxman00007 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:06PM EDT Report Abuse
Drivers are suppose to be driving and give it a 100% of their brain power. All this cell phone and texting stuff should take place while NOT jeopardizing other people's lives. I am confident that 99.999% of this IN VEHICLE COMMUNICATION IS UNNECESSARY !!
-
79 Posted by luvnseawa on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:00PM EDT Report Abuse
I am thrilled that my state, Washington State, passed a ban on using a hand-held cell phone while driving AND a ban on text messaging while driving. Our Governor is planning on signing both bills in the next week. They take effect January 1st, but people are already hanging up. It's wonderful!!!! It won't stop all people from talking and texting while driving and won't stop every accident, but it will prevent some and that's all that matters.
-
80 Posted by budsterb53 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:15PM EDT Report Abuse
my last ex and I suffered a car wreck because a teenager who was searching for his phone and ran a red light and hit us broadside.she suffered a cracked neck bone but I was lucky and suffered nothing.
-
81 Posted by aztec1sun on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:00PM EDT Report Abuse
Most of you people can't walk and chew gum at the same time - what makes you think you can think you can use 90% of your meager brain capacity to punch those tiny keys and drive what effectively becomes a murder weapon?
-
82 Posted by dude0802 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:49PM EDT Report Abuse
I am also guilty of texting while driving; however, never in heavy traffic. It truly can be distracting, and it always scares your passengers! lol I lived in the UK for a while, where this law is in effect. Not being able to talk nor to send text messages, legally, has greatly lowered their recorded number of accidents. I really think the US should adopt this law also.
-
83 Posted by reggeatona69 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:35PM EDT Report Abuse
I haven't tried it driving, just twice at a red light and that was annoying enough. The last time I couldn't finish since the light turned green and I just closed my phone and said forget it. Not worth the risk, pull over and make the call.
-
84 Posted by jerrilynnbraff on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:33PM EDT Report Abuse
I text ALL the time while I am driving and I have to say that if they do make a law against it I will keep doing it. I don't think that my texting while driving is any worse then someone with an suv full of kids they are yelling at while driving. If you are so distracted that you can't even talk on the phone and drive then maybe you should not be behind the wheel.
-
85 Posted by yanks1582 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:54PM EDT Report Abuse
I agree with the texting while driving, but the talking on the phone part still doesn't make any sense to me. What is the difference of talking on the phone while driving compared to talking to someone sitting right next to you. This actually could be worse cause sometimes i look over at the person to see facial expressions. At least phone in hand keeps your head strait. Also is known to be a comfort for people who don't like driving at night or have a long trip and get a phone call.
Sponsored Links
My Tech
Please enable your browser's cookies to activate the My Tech column.
Also on Yahoo! Tech
| Computers | Home Office | Wi-Fi & Networking | Phones & PDAs | Cameras & Camcorders | TV & Home Theater | Portable Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
66 Posted by celebutantes@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:20PM EDT Report Abuse
I am guilty of texting while driving. I don't see how talking on a cell phone is any different from listening/singing along to the radio though? But that's a different story. I try my best not to text, and it's even worse because I have a Sidekick, which causes me to use both hands.