Cell phone use by driver

[Dangermouse]

Two things should never, ever be done in a moving vehicle - texting and having sex. Neither will end well.

I have an aftermarket Jabra BT hands-free device in my car, that I will only use when it is safe to do so. I won't make calls, and usually only take them from close family members. To a certain extent, it is no different to talking with a passenger, but the big difference is that a passenger can see when traffic is busy (or weather is bad) and you are paying close attention and will (hopefully) stop talking. The guy on the other end of the phone doesn't see that.

However, like all aspects of driving, only experience (and to a lesser extent - age) can tell you when it is "safe to do so". Which is why many teenagers (the prime texting demographic) text and drive as they feel immortal and have been brought up to be competent multi-taskers in every scenario. If they can do homework, be on facebook, watch a movie and chat, all simultaneously, then why not text and drive a 2 ton machine at the same time. Those "LOL's won't write themselves.

Every part of driving a car is a risk assessment. You are constantly playing the odds. Is it safer to take that call or drive at 80mph? It all depends on the external scenario. Georgia has a phone law that is slanted towards the inexperienced, but is probably the thin edge of the wedge (No texting by anyone, and no phone usage by the under 18s, including hands-free)

The other thing many people fail to realize, in the car or in the house, is that just because the phone rings, you don't have to answer it!

[Spittybug]

I'm going to agree and disagree.

I agree wholeheartedly about hand held phones, texting and being otherwise distracted. Having to manually dial the phone, hold it, get "Italian" with the other hand (ever watch people with phone in one hand and the other one coming off the wheel to gesture as they speak?) is simply a recipe for disaster.

Receiving calls or making them via hands free is however safe for the majority of people. It's no more of a distraction than speaking to your passenger (without the need to look at them either), having unruly kids in the backseat, eating, etc. There are TONS of bad habits that take away a driver's attention - I've seen people shaving, putting on make up, even reading the paper spread across the steering wheel! In most cases, people are able to "split" their attention between the rigors of safely driving and the cerebral aspect of conversing.

As an example; I have a friend that is an air traffic controller. Mellow guy. I was driving around with several of his family members in a car going to dinner in Norman, OK. The radio was on and there were at least 3 distinct conversations going on in the car, with most people involved in more than one. As apassenger, Iwas uncomfortable with all the distraction and wanted shut everyone up! NONE of them was the least bit flustered or distracted. My friend was doing the driving and I can honestly say that he didn't miss a beat while holding multiple conversations and the radio playing, never mind it being night and busy roads. Crazy. I think it's all a function of what your brain is comfortable with. Me, if I need extra focus (finding someplace or navigating a lot of road signs or parking space hunting) I have to turn off the radio and concentrate. Then again, knock on wood, I've never had a car accident in 34 years of driving either.

[Ron]

What is going to happen is there will be a record of your cell phone use (time, location, duration, who you contacted) and they will use that info in civil law suits. But if you kill someone, that's something you have to live with the rest of your life. It's just not worth the risk.

It's already common practice. I know of at least five guys in our relatively small Fire & Rescue department who have seen it in court when testifying in serious injury cases -- Simply a matter of printing off what is already recorded.

[Jonathan]

Which is why many teenagers (the prime texting demographic) text and drive as they feel immortal and have been brought up to be competent multi-taskers in every scenario. If they can do homework, be on facebook, watch a movie and chat, all simultaneously, then why not text and drive a 2 ton machine at the same time. Those "LOL's won't write themselves.

And one other very important reason why young people feel immortal, take dangerous risks, etc. is that their brains have not fully developed yet. Many people don't realize this. You ever wonder why so many X-sports and otherwise crazy stunts are tried by teenagers and young adults? They haven't necessarily had their brains develop enough to give them this reasoning to make the better decision. Very much applicable to this invincible feeling of texting when driving. Unfortunately, instead of just killing themselves like they would if they were jumping of the roof of the house to do a cannon ball into the swimming pool and it didn't go well, they wipe out your neighbor and her family with their out of control sedan.

http://www.education.com/magazine/ar...n_Development/

The other thing many people fail to realize, in the car or in the house, is that just because the phone rings, you don't have to answer it!

Whoo hoo!! Hallelujah!! Someone else that gets it!!!! Yee haw!!! You're right, don't answer it! It was not that long ago that cell phones weren't in the pockets of every single person up and down the street. If you are running out, doing some errands, going to the mall or the bank, and you'll be back in an hour... I'LL TALK TO YOU THEN!! lol Man, I don't get how people want to be bothered when they are walking through the mall, or my favorite is at dinner. I remember sitting down in a booth at a restaurant and beside me were four young people. Likely two couples. I looked over and all four were thumbing away on their phones... AND NOT TALKING TO EACH OTHER!!! Nice going. Who on your phone is possibly more important than the person who made the effort to be sitting with you IN THE FLESH?? My Dad had a rule years ago at his business... no one on the phone is more important than someone standing in person at your register with cash in his hands. The phone can wait. Somewhat similar to this discussion. Enjoy/concentrate the moment you are in. Many people think multi-tasking is a good thing, when in effect, it is just a good way at doing neither thing well.


Hahahah... now, if you don't mind, I need to go find my walker so I can go yell at the kids to get off my lawn!!! lol

[thirdmanj]

Hahahah... now, if you don't mind, I need to go find my walker so I can go yell at the kids to get off my lawn!!! lol

Chad? Is that you, Chad?!

[stevedmc]

Steve Rice usually drives better when he is texting.

[Dangermouse]

Two things should never, ever be done in a moving vehicle - texting and having sex. Neither will end well.

Let me add a third thing, one that you wouldn't think needed to be spelled out.

http://keysnews.com/node/21349

"Florida Highway Patrol troopers say a two-vehicle crash Tuesday at Mile Marker 21 on Cudjoe Key was caused by a 37-year-old woman driver who was shaving her bikini area while her ex-husband took the wheel from the passenger seat".

[DMCMW Dave]

"Florida Highway Patrol troopers say a two-vehicle crash Tuesday at Mile Marker 21 on Cudjoe Key was caused by a 37-year-old woman driver who was shaving her bikini area while her ex-husband took the wheel from the passenger seat".

Probablyt lucky it wasn't the other way around. . .

[OverlandMan]

This poll needs a 4th option - "Mobile device usage while operating a motor vehicle should be/remain legal"

As much as I hate texting and driving, I hate big brother laws even more. I think we're on the edge of going political...

[DeLorean03]

I would be VERY interested to see the texting while driving resulting in a wreck statistics for both young and older drivers. Since younger drivers get slaughtered by insurance companies due to simply their age, I would love to see how the statistics play out for texting between the two demographics. Bet you it's darn close.