Should punishment for driving while texting be as severe as DUI?

[rayfieldclement]

Simply because people do distracting things while driving does not lessen the impact of people texting.

What I am saying is that while driving you should have no attention using pursuits that distract many people.

 

[SillyOReilly]

It's funny that most people are so against texting, but then when they want a new car they get these cars that are coming with more and more things in the dash to distract us. I laugh every time I see commercials showing all the stuff you can do on your touch screen in the new cars, that is as bad if not worse than texting. But no one is out raged about that.

Again, the fact that there may be 100 other things to distract you, does not in any way detract from the impact of texting on awareness.

 

[ImpulsE69]

This just in. People die due to driving. Ban driving. Problem solved.

Next.

 

[ioni]

Are you telling me that you think a momentary distraction (looking down at phone for 5 seconds to type "yes" or "omw") is the same thing as being intoxicated for the entire time you are driving? One is a momentary distraction. The other is an altered state of mind that you cannot simply shake off. If I want to text someone while stopped at a red light I don't see an issue with that.

Texting and driving is about 500,000x worse than drunk driving. If you're stopped at a red light, you're not driving.

Maybe we should have a steering wheel that will sense when your hand is taken off of it. If it lasts more than 5 seconds then the car slows down and shuts off.

I agree distracted driving is dangerous. The problem is that everyone blames it on a specific action. People think their particular distraction is OK while all the others are terrible. Just outlaw distracted driving altogether and make it a ticketable offense to not have both hands on the wheel and eyes forward.

Holy crap! That is the dumbest idea ever! Can you imagine doing 65 behind someone on the highway and then their car suddenly shuts off?

 

[rayfieldclement]

I agree. In fact, the DUI charge itself should not be limited to controlled substances but to ANYTHING that impairs your driving. There are people who do crazy things like put make up on or change their clothes while driving, or people watching a movie on their laptop sitting on the passenger seat etc... all these things should actually count as DUI. Guess the problem with that is where do you draw the line and how do you prove it.

Thank you!

 

[SSSnail]

Here's a CRAZY thought I just had. Now stay with me here - how about if we just punish people for poor driving? If someone runs down and kills a person because they're using the phone, let's just put him on trial for murder. Isn't that fair? What does it matter what the person was doing at the time? Crazy idea, I know! Because I can guarantee you that if you ban cell phone use - heck, get RID of all cell phones - the same people doing stupid stuff in cars will STILL find a way to do stupid stuff in cars.

But hey, let's just waste time chasing after stupid distractions and using up taxpayer dollars with more unenforceable laws. Brilliant.

Are dunk drivers being charged with murder? There's an idea, stay with me OK? I know it's difficult for you to understand this, but proving text exchanges by forensic data on the phone is not hard.

All I'm suggesting is that if one of these upstanding citizen consciously decides to impair him or herself while operating an automobile, well then FUCK 'em Dano!

I sincerely hope you don't run over anyone while you text and drive, and certainly not anyone you know.

 

[ImpulsE69]

Texting and driving is about 500,000x worse than drunk driving. If you're stopped at a red light, you're not driving.

Where is that statistic?

 

[FoBoT]

sure , let's have the govt execute jay walkers also

 

[ioni]

Where is that statistic?

Try closing your eyes while driving. Now try drunk driving. In which scenario can you react to what's in front of you? Texting and driving is the equivalent to driving with your eyes closed because in both cases, you aren't looking at the road. Which is the only thing you should be looking at while driving.

 

[ControlD]

sure , let's have the govt execute jay walkers also

Sounds like a plan. While we are at it I can think of a few other things off the top of my head that we better get rid of as well:

(1) Car radios
(2) Side windows ... sometimes I see things and I look at them. Certainly this is making me a distracted driver and I need a DUI charge for that.
(3) Any food products in the car
(4) Any beverages
(5) Insects in the car should count against the driver, they are distracting
(6) Passengers ... maybe the biggest distraction of all. Sometimes they talk and I get distracted.
(7) Horns
(8) High beams

There must be more .... we need the police to protect us from ourselves with these distractions.

 

[GT1999]

I like this thread.

 

[SSSnail]

Holy shit the amount of ignorance displayed in this thread is beyond comprehension.

You can't seriously be comparing something that you do in your car as a necessity, or if something that happened as a result of an accident to that of consciously doing something that ...

You know what? Keep on texting and driving, the lot of you. I just hope that when you kill someone because of it, that person is no one I know, and that person is someone you know.

 

[ControlD]

Holy shit the amount of ignorance displayed in this thread is beyond comprehension.

You can't seriously be comparing something that you do in your car as a necessity, or if something that happened as a result of an accident to that of consciously doing something that ...

You know what? Keep on texting and driving, the lot of you. I just hope that when you kill someone because of it, that person is no one I know, and that person us someone you know.

Right. Because those of us that are against charging people with DUI for texting are against it because we are crazy in love with texting while driving. The point is, if you pass some broad law for "distracted driving" then all of those things you think are a necessity or an accident are simply judgement calls. I agree that harshly punishing those that are distracted (texting for example) and cause an accident is a better way to go. Passing laws open to interpretation and abuse seems like a bad idea to me.

For the record, I drive a stick shift. Unless I grow a third arm (ripe punch line material here) I won't be doing much texting and driving even if I was inclined to do so. I thought perhaps the Siri in my iPhone would help with that, but the one in my phone seems to be mentally challenged so I even gave up on that.

 

[SSSnail]

So we agreed that driving while texting is dangerous, right?

What about while putting on make-up?

How about any other observable stupid things people do while driving?

How about we put all those activities identified into that Distracted category and fine any stupid pricks caught doing so? Clear cut enough for you?

If you want to be stupid, go find an empty mountain road and do it, not while you're among civilization where you can hurt others.

 

[ImpulsE69]

Try closing your eyes while driving. Now try drunk driving. In which scenario can you react to what's in front of you? Texting and driving is the equivalent to driving with your eyes closed because in both cases, you aren't looking at the road. Which is the only thing you should be looking at while driving.

You said texting is 500000x more dangerous than drunk driving..still waiting for that statistic, because what you just typed has nothing to do with texting or drunk driving.

I don't know about you, but I can text with my eyes closed and w/o even looking at my phone....

but then...I text with my penis...who's with me? anyone? anyone?

 

[ImpulsE69]

So we agreed that driving while texting is dangerous, right?

What about while putting on make-up?

How about any other observable stupid things people do while driving?

How about we put all those activities identified into that Distracted category and fine any stupid pricks caught doing so? Clear cut enough for you?

If you want to be stupid, go find an empty mountain road and do it, not while you're among civilization where you can hurt others.

I think this is the point man. You are singling out 1 thing. Most of us would agree it's dangerous, but hardly the only thing, and depending on the person, not the most dangerous thing they can be doing. If you are that concerned..don't leave the house.

 

[Childs]

They could word it so that if it is determined that the cause of the accident is texting, jerking off, whatever, the penalty is the same as a DUI.

But say its just outright illegal to text will driving. To those that think this will lead to cops pulling people over unnecessarily, I hate to break it to you but a cop will pull you over for any reason. I had a small medal hanging no more than 3 inches from my rear view mirror, and a cop used that as an excuse to pull me over and check my papers. You can't even really see it from outside the car. People have things hanging from their mirror all the time. I've had cops pull me over, ask to see my papers, then just say have a nice day and leave.

 

[ControlD]

They could word it so that if it is determined that the cause of the accident is texting, jerking off, whatever, the penalty is the same as a DUI.

But say its just outright illegal to text will driving. To those that think this will lead to cops pulling people over unnecessarily, I hate to break it to you but a cop will pull you over for any reason.

That's pretty much what I am saying as well. Make it punishable after the fact.

I also agree with getting pulled over for any reason, I just don't feel like having a law that gives even more excuses. I got pulled over a couple of years ago because I was driving with one hand on the steering wheel. I was driving in "an unsafe manner" according to the cop. I had to kindly point out the fact that I need my other hand to shift my car. No kidding he still gave me a warning. Maybe he didn't like the fact that I mentioned he was drinking a cup of coffee while driving and he was missing a magical third arm to do so.

 

[SSSnail]

I think this is the point man. You are singling out 1 thing. Most of us would agree it's dangerous, but hardly the only thing, and depending on the person, not the most dangerous thing they can be doing. If you are that concerned..don't leave the house.

Within the last month, I read no less than 4 pieces of news involving people being killed for doing what they're supposed to do, walking on the sidewalk, crosswalk, biking in their lane, etc...by someone who was texting.

I'm not so concerned about me leaving the house, but seeing your responses, and your reasoning, I can stop responding to you, and wish you a long and healthy life. I'm sure you have many many years left.

 

[DougK62]

Are dunk drivers being charged with murder? There's an idea, stay with me OK? I know it's difficult for you to understand this, but proving text exchanges by forensic data on the phone is not hard.

All I'm suggesting is that if one of these upstanding citizen consciously decides to impair him or herself while operating an automobile, well then FUCK 'em Dano!

I sincerely hope you don't run over anyone while you text and drive, and certainly not anyone you know.

You do realize that if you kill someone with your car you can be charged with murder (or some derivation of), right? If you drive impaired and cause problems you DO get in trouble. Yes, it can be easy to trace that someone has been texting. What is your point, exactly?

So we agreed that driving while texting is dangerous, right?

What about while putting on make-up?

How about any other observable stupid things people do while driving?

How about we put all those activities identified into that Distracted category and fine any stupid pricks caught doing so? Clear cut enough for you?

If you want to be stupid, go find an empty mountain road and do it, not while you're among civilization where you can hurt others.

Do you live in the United States? All of those things you listed, if a cop sees you doing them, that cop can absolutely cite you for it. It's a moving violation. Depending on where you live, it's usually a "careless driving" offense or something similar.

 

[DougK62]

Within the last month, I read no less than 4 pieces of news involving people being killed for doing what they're supposed to do, walking on the sidewalk, crosswalk, biking in their lane, etc...by someone who was texting.

I'm not so concerned about me leaving the house, but seeing your responses, and your reasoning, I can stop responding to you, and wish you a long and healthy life. I'm sure you have many many years left.

So is your entire argument that you think being around roads will be safer if we ban cell phones in cars? Motor vehicle fatalities have declined in the last few decades, not increased: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_U.S._by_year

 

[mugs]

I think people could probably drive more competently with a BAC of .08 than while texting. The only reason people don't cause more accidents while texting is because they do it while they think it's safe(r) to do so.

 

[ioni]

You said texting is 500000x more dangerous than drunk driving..still waiting for that statistic, because what you just typed has nothing to do with texting or drunk driving.

I don't know about you, but I can text with my eyes closed and w/o even looking at my phone....

but then...I text with my penis...who's with me? anyone? anyone?

I don't know about you but after 10 shots I don't suffer from any impaired judgement or reduction in balance or reaction time. Doesn't mean I get a free pass to drive drunk. Anyway, texting tends to involve more than just sending texts. It usually involves reading them as well.

 

[SirStev0]

I think people could probably drive more competently with a BAC of .08 than while texting. The only reason people don't cause more accidents while texting is because they do it while they think it's safe(r) to do so.

It all depends on the person.

 

[IGBT]

yes..and it is DUI. It has all the characteristics of alcohol including impaired judgement. A few more carnage related accidents and it will be law. Most DUI laws are written in blood and supported by carnage and dead bodies.