.......and was the other 34% brain dead ???

[Motofool]

10% of traffic fatalities happen in accidents induced by distracted drivers.

This is what 62% of those drivers have been doing:

http://auto.erieinsurance.com/distra...fographic.aspx

[sunspots]

I just had the most ingenious idea ever.

All cars be equipped with something, where as soon as you start the ignition, a frequency emits that disables all phones inside the vehicle.




SOME WILL SAY ITS INSANE, BUT THEY SAID THE SAME THING ABOUT THE TOASTER OVEN TOO

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by sunspots

I just had the most ingenious idea ever.

All cars be equipped with something, where as soon as you start the ignition, a frequency emits that disables all phones inside the vehicle.




SOME WILL SAY ITS INSANE, BUT THEY SAID THE SAME THING ABOUT THE TOASTER OVEN TOO

Nothing new, I've been saying this since 2002 when I first got my drivers licence.

[Numbersix]

That way, if there is an incident, nobody can call for help...

... or, just to take this to the next step, a criminal could disable a victim's ability to get help with his own (or the victim's) car.



OK, I'm just devil's advocate here. Actually, I was nearly obliterated by a kid turning left into me at 90 mph combined (45 mph each, opposite directions, he turned through me trying to make the freeway entrance) texting (in an F-150) followed by his GF and other friend in separate cars after; he didn't begin to brake until after he hit me. Fortunately in that one I was in a tank (Ford Windstar) and even so he pushed the frame in 3 inches.

Still, I'm not a big fan of new laws; there's already "reckless driving" and it just needs to be enforced. I'll summarize MI's version:

- reckless and no injuries: misdemeanor, 93 days, $500
- reckless and injuries: felony, 5 years, $5000, forfeit vehicle
- reckless and death: felony, 15 years, $10000, forfeit vehicle

"Reckless" in this section is "willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property" and, if I were an officer, I'd apply it to bad driving due to phones, food, or any of the other dum things people do when driving.

Start applying existing law like this and people will wake up; you don't need a new law for every new distraction.

[allanoue]

Distracted driver accidents are not up from before cell phones. People who let themselves get distracted will have no problem finding something else to distract them. Rubberneckers at number 2. Don't get me wrong I would like to see no one making phone calls when they are driving but talking to a passenger is just as bad and I would love to see how you stop that. The problem is driving a cage is mind numbing and the only way to stop that is to take humans out of the equation. That day is coming.

[250rr]

Originally Posted by allanoue

Distracted driver accidents are not up from before cell phones. People who let themselves get distracted will have no problem finding something else to distract them. Rubberneckers at number 2. Don't get me wrong I would like to see no one making phone calls when they are driving but talking to a passenger is just as bad and I would love to see how you stop that. The problem is driving a cage is mind numbing and the only way to stop that is to take humans out of the equation. That day is coming.

You sir, are correct.

[dfox]

Driving a cage isn't mind numbing to me. I love driving my car, almost as much as I love driving my motorcycle. It's the individual who cannot focus on driving that makes driving a car mind numbing.

And as far as a discussion with a passenger being just as distracting as a cell phone, that is complete garbage. A passenger can see what is going on around your car. When traffic gets heavy or crazy, conversations modify themselves. Passengers take breaks during crazy times. They can help point out things that the driver might have missed. Someone on a cell phone has no clue that you just got cut off, or that traffic up ahead in 1/4 mile is dead stopped, but the passenger CAN see that, and studies have generally proven that passenger discussions are not nearly as distracting as talking on a phone.

There are already bluetooth devices out there that will disable a phone, aside from emergency calls, once the car is moving. IMO, this is a great technology, and my child's cell phone will be equipped with it once he starts driving, but there are too many adults who are too stubborn to accept that they should put their phone down while in the car for the technology to be implemented on every car.

I love riding next to someone who is on their phone while driving, downshifting, and just blasting my yoshi in their face until they finally get so pissed off they either turn off the road, speed up, or drastically slow down.

[NevadaWolf]

Originally Posted by Numbersix

Start applying existing law like this and people will wake up; you don't need a new law for every new distraction.

But but but we are idiots, we need our hands held, and the world safely sanitized against our own stupidity so that we don't get hurt. I mean everything and everyone is out to get us right? We aren't capable of evaluating risks and weighing them intelligently and making informed decisions for ourselves. My god man, what you are suggesting is :gasp: personal responsibility!!

:runs screaming:

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by dfox

Driving a cage isn't mind numbing to me. I love driving my car, almost as much as I love driving my motorcycle. It's the individual who cannot focus on driving that makes driving a car mind numbing.

I am so happy for you I wish that were true for more people

And as far as a discussion with a passenger being just as distracting as a cell phone, that is complete garbage. A passenger can see what is going on around your car. When traffic gets heavy or crazy, conversations modify themselves. Passengers take breaks during crazy times. They can help point out things that the driver might have missed. Someone on a cell phone has no clue that you just got cut off, or that traffic up ahead in 1/4 mile is dead stopped, but the passenger CAN see that, and studies have generally proven that passenger discussions are not nearly as distracting as talking on a phone.

That is true for adults but not for teens.

There are already bluetooth devices out there that will disable a phone, aside from emergency calls, once the car is moving. IMO, this is a great technology, and my child's cell phone will be equipped with it once he starts driving, but there are too many adults who are too stubborn to accept that they should put their phone down while in the car for the technology to be implemented on every car.

I love riding next to someone who is on their phone while driving, downshifting, and just blasting my yoshi in their face until they finally get so pissed off they either turn off the road, speed up, or drastically slow down.

That cool, but I wonder how that goes over with other drivers who are not on the phone but are stuck next to you while you are playing enforcer?

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by NevadaWolf

............... personal responsibility!!

I wonder how many members of our society understand that concept........

[250rr]

Originally Posted by Motofool

I wonder how many members of our society understand that concept........

[dfox]

Originally Posted by allanoue

That cool, but I wonder how that goes over with other drivers who are not on the phone but are stuck next to you while you are playing enforcer?

I've only done it a few times, and I'm more than capable of seeing who is around me, and don't do it when the road is busy. I also toot my horn at opposing drivers who are looking at their phone.

Teens shouldn't be allowed to have more than one passenger. Ever.

[lgk]

the other 34% are zombies, the other unaccounted for % are listed as bitten.

[allanoue]

Why is distracted driving treated differently depending on what distracted you?

[alex.s]

^^^ exactly. doesn't matter if you are talking on the cellphone, or simply not in your own head. not paying attention is not paying attention and you don't need an object in your hand to do it. crashes don't happen when both people are paying proper attention and following the rules. unless you are on ice. "1 in 10" crashes have at least one distracted driver? 10 in 10 more like.

[Daks]

I love how they make all these parental cellphone controls for cars while it's actually adults who talk on the phone the most in the car.