Texting while driving

[nuttylawprofessor]

What kind of penalty should people have for texting while driving? Should it be like a DUI? Stricter?

I started this thread because of a car I saw this weekend. We were on the highway, and I noticed a car with a smashed front and rear. I felt badly for the driver, thinking that maybe she had been caught in a bad-weather pile-up and was trying to get her car home. Then we passed her, and I noticed that she was texting.

 

[bettymae1121]

I think it should be the same penalty as drunk driving. It's just as stupid and just as dangerous.

 

[Gabes_mommy]

I agree that it should have a very serious penalty.

 

[mom2boys77]

Texting and Talking should have a serious penalty. My husband is a bad driver. He sightsees while he drives and he is obsessed with the phone. It is illegal to talk and drive here in N.J. He keeps his phone in his lap while he is driving and answers calls and texts WHILE DRIVING! I don't let him drive the kids anymore. It makes me a nervous wreck. I have seriously thought of calling the police on him..I know some may think I am a horrible wife for saying this but it's the truth and he and others like him are either going to hurt himself or others around him. People that say they can stay focused on the road and have a conversation are fooling themselves. It's just not safe.

 

[Robinrs]

Same as a DUI, just call it driving under IDIOCY!

 

[SundaeAfternoon]

When I see someone texting while driving it gets my blood boiling! Talk about selfish and irresponsible behavior. I agree that the penalty should be steep.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

I think, at the least, fines should be steep. VERY steep.

 

[Deb in IA]

What kind of penalty should people have for texting while driving? Should it be like a DUI? Stricter?

I started this thread because of a car I saw this weekend. We were on the highway, and I noticed a car with a smashed front and rear. I felt badly for the driver, thinking that maybe she had been caught in a bad-weather pile-up and was trying to get her car home. Then we passed her, and I noticed that she was texting.

There is proposed legislation here in Iowa that would ban all texting while driving, although there was a later revision that would only apply to teenagers. The governor is expected to sign any form of this bill that would be eventually passed.

Couldn't the driver you passed have been texting AFTER her accident, maybe trying to get help?

 

[FireDancer]

As someone who spends a lot of time running and cycling on roads driving while texting scares me. If someone isn't paying attention and hits me while I am driving I will be annoyed but most likely survive. If they do so while I am on my feet or a bike I may not.

Since there is evidence that driving while texting is as impairing as driving while drunk (one is because of distraction as opposed to impairment) I think the penalties should be similar. Fine, suspension, and 6 points. I don't think they need to go to the weekend drunk camp for texting though.

 

[luvmy3]

What kind of penalty should people have for texting while driving? Should it be like a DUI? Stricter?

I started this thread because of a car I saw this weekend. We were on the highway, and I noticed a car with a smashed front and rear. I felt badly for the driver, thinking that maybe she had been caught in a bad-weather pile-up and was trying to get her car home. Then we passed her, and I noticed that she was texting.

Did you actually see her texting while driving as the accident happened? She could have been texting someone to let them know she had been in an accident after the fact.
That being said, if you get into an accident while texting I think it should be penalized the same way as a DUI.

 

[daughtersrus]

IL recently passed a law making it illegal to talk on a cell phone while in a school or construction zone.

There is an exception if you are calling 911 or using a hands-free feature.

There is also a state law that prohibits texting or using the internet while driving.


Here's a link to our law.

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/96/HB/PDF/09600HB0071lv.pdf


There have been a few debates about this law as it does not include reading or programing a GPS. I don't have one but I can imagine that they could also cause a problem if you are doing this while driving.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

Did you actually see her texting while driving as the accident happened? She could have been texting someone to let them know she had been in an accident after the fact.
That being said, if you get into an accident while texting I think it should be penalized the same way as a DUI.

There is proposed legislation here in Iowa that would ban all texting while driving, although there was a later revision that would only apply to teenagers. The governor is expected to sign any form of this bill that would be eventually passed.

Couldn't the driver you passed have been texting AFTER her accident, maybe trying to get help?

No, she was driving her smashed up car on the highway. I didn't see the accident that caused the car damage. While I don't know that she was texting when she smashed her car, one would think that after an accident, the driver might be more careful.

 

[ICF]

public hanging should be a good 1st step.....

There is NO excuse for trying to text while driving. At least with a cell phone you can call handsfree / bluetooth or someother way.

Texting using these things called hands that are kind of helpful for driving....not to mention your eyes should be on the road and not reading or writing a text!!

 

[ols386]

Texting and Talking should have a serious penalty. My husband is a bad driver. He sightsees while he drives and he is obsessed with the phone. It is illegal to talk and drive here in N.J. He keeps his phone in his lap while he is driving and answers calls and texts WHILE DRIVING! I don't let him drive the kids anymore. It makes me a nervous wreck. I have seriously thought of calling the police on him..I know some may think I am a horrible wife for saying this but it's the truth and he and others like him are either going to hurt himself or others around him. People that say they can stay focused on the road and have a conversation are fooling themselves. It's just not safe.

I don't think that's being a horrible wife. I think you may save his life, or someone else's life by reporting him.

And I also wouldn't feel comfortable with him driving with children in the car.

 

[TeresaBelle]

I agree with everyone, that texting while driving is bad and the punishment should be harsh, but, I'm not sure how easy that would be to enforce. How can it be proven that someone was texting and caused an accident? They're not likely to admit to it and if a witness testified to seeing it, it would be their word agains the drivers. I'm not advocating it AT ALL...just sayin'.

I was in the car once with a friend I hadn't seen in a while. A married 30-something mother of 4. She was texting and her 12 year old son said something to the effect of..."Mom, you shouldn't text while driving. One day you're going to have an accident and kill me and then they'll make a law against it and call it 'Cameron's Law'"!! He said it jokingly...but really, it is no joke!

 

[hulagirl87]

public hanging should be a good 1st step.....

There is NO excuse for trying to text while driving. At least with a cell phone you can call handsfree / bluetooth or someother way.

Texting using these things called hands that are kind of helpful for driving....not to mention your eyes should be on the road and not reading or writing a text!!

I agree with you completely! The other day a woman almost hit my car and when I looked at her she was chatting away on the phone. I looked her right in the eyes and gave her a thumbs up. So for talking on the phone and texting while driving I say not only should they be ticketed, but they should have something put on their car - kind of like the scarlet letter, letting people know that they are careless and reckless.

While I know that there are just "bad drivers" out there, being on your phone is just pure idiocy. I'm all for multitasking, but you need to draw the line somewhere.

 

[MushyMushy]

It's gotten even worse these days with the qwerty keyboards! At least with the regular number keypad, people could rely on doing it by touch with one hand without looking at the road (NOT that this was a good thing to do, mind you, but still better). Now with the qwerty keypads, you'll see people having to use both hands and look down at their phones.

I agree, it should be a DUI penalty. Pure recklessness.

 

[luvmy3]

No, she was driving her smashed up car on the highway. I didn't see the accident that caused the car damage. While I don't know that she was texting when she smashed her car, one would think that after an accident, the driver might be more careful.

Gotcha, I thought she was parked on the side of the road after the accident and texting. I would have to agree that you would think they would be more careful, but some people never learn which is why the penalty should be steep.

 

[LoraJ]

Same penalty as a DUI!!!

 

[ChrisFL]

I agree with everyone, that texting while driving is bad and the punishment should be harsh, but, I'm not sure how easy that would be to enforce. How can it be proven that someone was texting and caused an accident? They're not likely to admit to it and if a witness testified to seeing it, it would be their word agains the drivers. I'm not advocating it AT ALL...just sayin'.

I was in the car once with a friend I hadn't seen in a while. A married 30-something mother of 4. She was texting and her 12 year old son said something to the effect of..."Mom, you shouldn't text while driving. One day you're going to have an accident and kill me and then they'll make a law against it and call it 'Cameron's Law'"!! He said it jokingly...but really, it is no joke!

If a text had been sent by that phone they can trace the time was sent.