DRIVING WHILE ON THE CELL PHONE

[Steve P.]

Well for the second time in just a few months, I received a call telling me my younger daughter was involved in an auto accident. Long story short, she and her boyfriend just got out of the hospital @ 3:00 AM. The accident was just after 6:00 PM. I get to the scene and the son of a bitch that rear ended them admitted to me and the cops that he was on his cell phone and didn't even see her car stopped with the directional and brake lights on. He nailed her doing over 35 and never touched his brakes.

I just saw something in the paper or on TV about the amount of accidents caused by people on cell phones while driving. They said there are more than twice as many people killed by drivers on cell phones as there are drunken drivers.  Think about it, it's not legal to drink and drive. It is legal in most states to completely forget that you are the person that is SUPPOSED TO BE CONTROLLING A FEW TONS OF SPEEDING STEEL!!

Please folks, if you have to use the phone while in your car, do what ever it takes to not answer or talk WHILE you're driving. Pull over and call the person back or call at your destination. At the very minimum get hands free so you can at least turn your head and check your mirrors!!  Hurting yourself or other people is not worth that stupid cell phone call.  Pull off and out of traffic..

[Rubberduck]

Hi Steve

I do absolutely agree with you.
Here in Germany it´s not allowed to use a cell phone while driving a car.
But as I can see it everyday too many people do not care.
40,- Euros fine seems to be not enough.

Mario

[Rack]

there are more than twice as many people killed by drivers on cell phones as there are drunken drivers.  Think about it, it's not legal to drink and drive.

That number is a bit skewed. A perfect example of how stats can lie.



The reason there are more people killed by drivers talking on cell phones compared to drunk drivers is because there is A LOT more people driving around talking on their cell phone then there are drunk drivers. If you checked the stats proportionally, drunk driving still kills a lot more people.


However, I agree there should be a law against driving and talking on the phone. It would be difficult to enforce it though.

[dodge freak]

Seems like the phone users drive more slow too. Never notice somebody speeding away talking, 35 mph is it if the speed limit is 40-45mph. They also don't notice when the light turns green. We just got a new Buick Lacrosse and it has a hands free phone, have not use it yet, but all you do is speak the phone # you want and it dials it. Sounds better but it still takes your mind off the road. Seems like when you see a car driving 10 under the limit they are always holding a phone to their head.

That is what was nice about the good old days, no phones and Suv's on the road.

I hope your daughter was not hurt too bad, 35 mph ouch.  At least the SOB was honest that he was on the phone, but what good does that do ? The drunks go to jail, the phone users can just keep on talking.

[Arthu®]

That just sucks, it really was a case of bad luck. I hope they both don't suffer from any long term damage. The guy should be punished for talking on his cell while driving. It after all was part of what caused the accident. By saying people talking on their cell kill twice as many people as drunk drivers makes it sound like drunk driving is less deadly. But like said before I think the chance of being in a deadly accident while driving drunk is much higher than while talking on a cell.

I have to admit that I do occasionally drive while talking on my cell, I know I shouldn't do it, but like a lot of things it is just something you do. It's like crossing the road where you shouldn't. The fine overhere is a 140 euro's which is quite a bit of money but still I don't think any amount would stop me from doing it.

PS I think there are a lot more people on this forum that occasionally talk on their cell while driving.

Arthur

[BrianShaughnessy]

  Hope your daughter is OK.   Meanwhile...

  Several states already have laws against driving while on cellphones... or at least use a hands free setup....  NY was among the first.   I've seen accidents right before my eyes with people plowing right into the car ahead of them at traffic lights talking on cells.

  But that's only as good as the enforcement is -  this morning on my way into work,  a female in what appeared to be a NYS prison guard uniform was behind me at a stop light yakking on her cell.     And to tell you the truth I've guilty of it myself.

[4402tuff4u]

Cars should have a cell phone wave scrambler device that as soon as you bring that phone inside the vehicle, it becomes innoperable - only active for outgoing 911 calls. End to all the phone calls bs!! I've seen a share of accidents while the drivers are on the phone. It also burns me when they are doing 40 mph on a highway where traffic is moving at 60 mph because they want to drive safe while on the phone - how moronic is that?

[mikepmcs]

Hope your daughter and her bf are ok.

I almost got creamed the other day in a 45 by some stupid beeotch on her effin' phone.  Oh yeah and I was on my Ironhorse. I'm hotlapping around town and I get on a pretty major highway(202 in maine, near winthrop) Cruising along i'm noticing this gold car filling up my rear view and i'm like this lady ain't paying attention and I don't even think she knows i'm on a bike in front of her.  I don't see how cause you can hear the bike from outer space.  Anyways she's behind me for about 3 miles and on the gas off the gas...... I look back and she's on the phone.  I think, now I know why she ain't paying attention.  I decide to turn off and go back to town, so with plenty of time, blinker on, brakes having the flashing led style lights, and my left hand in the air as a backup signal, I start to slow down to make the turn, i look in my rearview and this car ain't even slowing up a bit, next thing I know I hear her lock up her car sideways in the road, just before she's about to cream me I gave it a fistful of throttle and got out of there.  I still swear she actually contacted my fender just a little, but no indication on the bike.
If I didn't have to go and do something else at that very moment, I probably would have followed her and exacted some sort of revenge that I would regret later on. That being said, I do talk on my phone in the car, but it doesn't hinder my driving whatsoever.  I put it on loudspeaker and set it on my lap.  I see these people all the time speeding up slowing down with the tone of the conversation they are having.  Those people need to get off the road!
I actually don't want a law that governs if I can talk on the phone in a car, what's next, can't eat, drink, chew gum, smoke...., I think it's BS
Then again, I don't agree with the seatbelt mandatory BS either.  I do wear one(now), but don't like the idea of the state telling me I will.  But at the same time the very same state does not require me to wear a helmet on my bike.  Hello! 
Ok end of rant.

In summary:
Hope Daughter/bf are good
Stupid ho tried to kill me
At 40, I'm still rebellious, and don't like some laws that are trying to get passed.
Have a nice day
v/r
Mike

[Troy]

If you checked the stats proportionally, drunk driving still kills a lot more people.

Do you care about "proportionally" when you or a family member is dead? More people is exactly that - more people. The comparison only points out that the likelihood of killing someone is higher with alcohol than a cell phone. The simple fact that there are many times more idiots with cell phones should cause alarm since the consequences can end up the same. I'm not disagreeing with your point but trying to keep the dangers in perspective.

Some states have laws against talking on the phone while driving but I don't know of many that outlaw text messaging. In my opinion, that takes more concentation than having a verbal conversation yet some people feel that's ok too. Plus, it takes your eyes off the road so you don't even know what you just ran into.

I read an article the other day about the number of accidents caused by pretty women (and guys who can't take their eyes off them when driving by). It was a bit funny at the time but it goes to show that people have been crashing cars due to inattention since cars were invented - only now we have ever more items to distract our attention. The sheer volume of accidents (and stupidity) caused by cell phones certainly gets your attention. Almost every day I manage to get behind someone in the fast last driving several miles below the limit while trying to dial or just jabbering. When I finally manage to pass them in a safe manner I find them stuck to my rear bumper as soon as they remember they were trying to get somewhere.

Troy

[Brock Samson]

ain't that the truth?.. 

[Lowprofile]

I don't know how many knuckleheads I've almost killed because they were not watching where they were going [like merging onto the highway] because they were too busy w/ an important phone call! 

Being a truck driver, I see it every day , all the time.........People just get stupid behind the wheel, and its getting worse everyday. I try to never use the phone while driving, but I do have it set up with all the hands-free equipment.


Steve, I'm glad the kids are OK. 

[Charger_Fan]

I have no cell phone & I'm happy. 


How's your daughter & the b.f. doing, Steve? Hope they're both ok.

[palindromes]

A friend from my high school days lost both of his parents a few years back in a head-on collision with a guy taking it to a whole new level;  He was watching a movie at the time of the crash on his in-dash dvd player...but also had it setup to play nintendo.  WTF?!!!

http://www.anchoragepress.com/newarchives/coverstoryvol12ed44.html

The litigation that followed made national news...and he ended up being acquitted.

[MichaelRW]

I can't see where hands free is much better than using your hands. The only advantage of hands free is maybe people would use their turn signals more often but I even doubt that. The distraction from driving the vehicle is the act of engaging in conversation whether it be hands free or not.

[70charginglizard]

First thing I do when I get to my car is turn my cell phone OFF!

If it's that important they can CALL ME BACK

it just not worth the risk!

[4cruzin]

Some people just don't multi-task very well.  I know that it is illegal in Chicago to talk on your phone while driving.  Soon it will be everywhere.

[John_Kunkel]

Some people just don't multi-task very well. 

That's the gist of it, and those who can will again be punished for the deeds of those who can't.

Some "experts" are now claiming that simply talking to another person in the car while your eyes are on the road and both hands on the wheel is enough of a distraction so as to be a danger to others on the road.

Where will the nanny government draw the line?

[OldGuy]

There was a recent study indicating that a person talking on a cell phone while driving displays the same level of impairment that a legally drunken driver does due to the distraction.  Apparently, when you are talking and focusing on a conversation, your eye - hand coordination and reflexes are impaired - your brain cannot transmit all of those functions simultaneously.

What's worse is that most teenagers are talking less on their phones and text messaging more.  I've seen inummerable teenage girls holding their phones on top of the steering wheel trying to text message with one hand and drive with the other.  They are swerving all over the road - speeding up and slowing down - this is on I-15 during heavy traffic. 

[John_Kunkel]

There was a recent study indicating that a person talking on a cell phone while driving displays the same level of impairment that a legally drunken driver does due to the distraction.   

This is a classic "shotgun" conclusion.

I read some Air Force studies on "sensory overload" which is akin to multi-tasking and the conclusions were it varies with the individual.

[Rack]

If you checked the stats proportionally, drunk driving still kills a lot more people.

Do you care about "proportionally" when you or a family member is dead?

What are you talking about?

I was merely pointing out a fact.

Maybe I didn't explain myself correctly? 

There was a recent study indicating that a person talking on a cell phone while driving displays the same level of impairment that a legally drunken driver does due to the distraction.

I've driven drunk before (back in my dumb youth days) and I've driven while on the phone. It's not even close, driving drunk is A LOT more dangerous. I almost wrecked into a freakin' train while drunk.

That said, I don't have "conversations" on the phone while driving. If I need some info on something I'll call, get the info, hang up. That's it.

[Steve P.]

There was a recent study indicating that a person talking on a cell phone while driving displays the same level of impairment that a legally drunken driver does due to the distraction.   

This is a classic "shotgun" conclusion.

I read some Air Force studies on "sensory overload" which is akin to multi-tasking and the conclusions were it varies with the individual.

I am certainly not qualified to say anything professionally about this subject. I will however tell you that had my daughter been killed by that stupid bastard due to his important phone call, I would be the one in jail..... 

Some things we do are just not worth it at all. The guy was 1 mile from home. He even said to me that he should have called his wife before he got in his Land Rover. This pantie waist actually was calling his wife from 1 mile away to say he was on his way home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Shanon and Kyle are both hurting pretty bad today. Kyle has allot of trouble taking drugs in pill form, so he's not getting much help with relief.

You know, I hate the idea of making new laws too. The problem is that many people will not use their better judgement and just pull off if they get a call from the PRESIDENT.  The hands free technology is here. Auto makers CAN set cars up so the phone works in conjunction with the stereo. They just want to make a killing on selling you the entire system and the minutes.. Again this is just wrong. The seatbelts and dash pads and air bags are all put in place to protect us. Why not set new cars up so that maybe less people will be hurt??  We HAVE walked on the MOON!!!!

[Mopar440+6]

I will say up front that I am guilty of talking on the cell while driving but I always use the speaker phone and try to keep the conversation as short as possible. But hopefully what I am about to say next will at least get some of you to think. Although no one knows if a cell phone was involved, distractions must still be kept to a minimum when driving.

On monday there were three bad traffic accidents on Interstate 81. Monday evening my mom calls me. She says "I've got some bad news. Danielle Forney was killed in one of the accidents on 81 today." She rearended a semi that was stopped in traffic from a previous accident. I have known Danielle since 2000. She had just graduated as summa cum laude with her B.S. degree. She had also just gotten engaged to the boyfriend she had been with since high-school. This girl had a lot of life in front of her and her life was cut short because she did not see the truck in front of her for whatever reason.

-->Link To Full Article Here<--

Please for everyone's sake try to avoid distracted driving. If you can't stop to take a call for anyone else in your life, please do it for yourself...

[dodge freak]

Well it would be nice if some people could not use the phone while driving but don't you think new car sales might go way down if that were to happen ? This is a free country , even if the government made all new cars phone free -with jamers- they could not do anything about all the old ones out there. How many folks would be buying brand new ? There is safety reasons also why that would not work. Sorry to say these phones are here to stay, perhaps after a long time things will get better. Hands free is the way to go, some day all cars will have it.

[dodge freak]

I would like to add that every year for the last 10 years or so about 41,000 people die in car wrecks. Think about it, thats 112 people everyday, almost 800 every week will been gone, not even counting the one that lose a eye or or leg. Our government claims that driving is safer than ever by the miles driven and the people killed but I think its wrong. Lots of people today own more than one car, but can only drive 1 at a time, but the government thinks that every car gets driven everyday. With these seat belts and air bags it has not help, that 41,000 dead has been going on now for 10 years straight. Wish it would not be like that, but what can anybody do about it.

[Steve P.]

I think the first thing to do is to educate people. Maybe if it were put in front of us more often things would change. I don't understand why it takes losing someone close before people think about things.  This is the second time I have had this phone call in just a few short months. For those of you with kids, I know you understand how I feel. For everyone else, I hope you will understand how I feel and pay more attention to the road and less to the cell phone.

I don't mean to harp. I just can't seem to put this into better words.

Troy, I could not agree with you more....

Mopar 440+6, I am very sorry for the loss of your friend..