New York Takes Aim at Texting Drivers
Tue Jul 24, 2007 3:44PM EDT
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New York is seriously considering banning the use of text messaging products while driving a car, following in the wake of an accident that killed five teenagers who wrecked their SUV while the driver was sending text messages.
Washington became the first state to ban texting while driving earlier this year; that law goes into effect on January 1. New York banned cell phone use while driving way back in 2001, though that law is apparently widely ignored. The penalty for phoning while driving is $100; the same penalty is proposed for text messaging scofflaws.
How big a problem is texting drivers? Studies show that up to 37 percent of drivers regularly send text messages from behind the wheel. It doesn't take a genius (or a multi-million dollar study) to see the danger in the practice. Taking your eyes off the road and concentrating on the tiny buttons on a cell phone screen can't help but interfere with your ability to stay in your lane and not smash your car into a wall.
Of course, there are plenty of other major driving distractions, from reading the newspaper to putting on makeup, many of which are discouraged but aren't outright illegal. Perhaps it's time for serious reform of the mess of driving laws, which vary widely from state to state? Some federal guidance could at least draw attention to the serious hazards that modern drivers are facing as they use these devices on the road... and from the inattentive drivers around them.
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7 Posted by michaelshows on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:18PM EDT Report Abuse
I think Ellen DeGeneres said it best. "If something takes both your hands to do, maybe your brain should be in on it as well." I'm assuming that of this 37% of people who text while driving that 98% of them are doing it in bumper to bumper traffic, which I don't find so dangerous. Like was said though, it's not really that much more distracting than reading or using a laptop, possibly make-up (no personal experience with that one). The thing that makes the statistic misleading is that we all picture someone driving down a highway at 75 mph while punching in text messages on a Sidekick. And, in the case of the wreck, that is probably what some dumb kid was doing. Obviously, that should be illegal. As much as I hate caveats left to the officer's discretion, I agree. There has to be one. If you are commuting in the bay area, you could probably shave, or read a novel, or whatever, and it would be relatively safe. I would stand firm on the fact that in the open road. NONE of these things should be allowed. Maybe talking to the other people in the car (which is distracting enough) should be okay, but that's about it. Even reading a map at 75 mph is not safe. But, of course, it's not a perfect law. The discretion about what is safe or not could lead to dangerous people sliding, as well as innocent people getting punished. But, what else is new? Life is just not fair. Hopefully putting something on the books would get officers a chance to save lives though.
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8 Posted by ka_metzler on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:48PM EDT Report Abuse
I saw your article on Texting Drivers. The sooner that the government sees what kind of a mess that cell phones are causing the sooner other people won't have to worry about another person not paying attention to the road. I guess someone important or enough young people have to die before they start doing something.
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9 Posted by mikeman422000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:20PM EDT Report Abuse
You know where there's one problem with this and any other law? It's here in New Hampshire!!! The state has the darn motto "Live Free Or Die"! Therefore every time an new law comes out it gets over turned because of freedom! For example, every state in the country you HAVE to wear a seat belt except NH; you only have to wear one until you're 18 then you have the right for the freedom of choice! You can still talk on your cell while driving here, there's only a law that says if you get in an accident and it can be proven that the driver was using a cellnthen it adds up the penalty! mikeman422000
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6 Posted by eijnersb03 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:52PM EDT Report Abuse
It's a good thing that NY is considering the banning of texting while driving. I am guilty of the same thing and it is really dangerous. Here in the Philippines, there is as yet no law banning the same despite the prevalence of said act. I hope our legislators will enact the same law soon.