News This article's photo scares the living daylight out of me

Morganthe

New member
At 60 miles an hour on a Missouri highway, a 16-year-old driver texts with a friend as a 17-year-old takes the wheel.
distracted.600.jpg


from
NYT- Driven to distraction - Drivers & legislators continue to dismiss risks

Yet Americans have largely ignored that research. Instead, they increasingly use phones, navigation devices and even laptops to turn their cars into mobile offices, chat rooms and entertainment centers, making roads more dangerous.

A disconnect between perception and reality worsens the problem. New studies show that drivers overestimate their own ability to safely multitask, even as they worry about the dangers of others doing it.

Device makers and auto companies acknowledge the risks of multitasking behind the wheel, but they aggressively develop and market gadgets that cause distractions.

Texting terrifies me. Really. :(

I don't believe that legislation will work. It's impossible to enforce. Comes under self control and concept of safety practices, imo. Honestly, when did just basic comprehension of if your eyes are occupied by a little keyboard, you are not paying attention to driving a motor vehicle -- vanish??? :scratcheshead:
Does this mean we should phase out automatic transmissions since it seems that drivers have way too much freedom on their hands to focus soley on driving? :whistle:
 
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keri1292

Well-known member
I saw a (helmetless) young teen texting while riding his bike yesterday. No hands and on a very busy road. WTF? :eek:

Also, in the above pic, would it be that hard to hand the phone to your friend and tell them what to type? :scratcheshead:
 

Morganthe

New member
Also, in the above pic, would it be that hard to hand the phone to your friend and tell them what to type? :scratcheshead:

Exactly my feeling! :mad:

I hope dd has it instilled by me by the time she's that age to know that communicating with someone else doesn't have to be immediate & now. IT CAN WAIT! :rolleyes:
Turning off the dang phone/device is my favorite option. :thumbsup: Always has been. :p
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
My kids saw/heard something somewhere about "automatic highways," where the highway would have some kind of system that allowed the driver to put their car on "auto pilot" and the car would just take over and drive for them. While we were talking about it, my dh started in on how it would "infringe on his right to drive the way he wants to," and I was completely flabbergasted. I asked if he had any idea how nice it would be to just get on the highway and take a nap?

Anyway - that picture reminded me of that conversation, and here's yet another bit of ammo for my argument. That kid doesn't even want to be driving, he's much more interested in texting! He wouldn't care if he was "stuck" doing the exact speed limit if he got to spend that time playing with his cell phone instead!
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
I make sure that our kids see that when whoever is driving needs to make/answer a call/text, they pull over, or hand it over to the passenger. I know they're only 5 and under, but we mindfully model that for them so it will become ingrained-- you need to use the phone? Pull over or hand it over.
 

swtgi1982

New member
I wish I could get DH to take this seriously. He texts while driving all the time and is horrible while driving because of it. Hence why I rarely let him take the kids anywhere, unless I am driving. I will admit though that I do once in a while do make a call on a phone while driving, but only when I do not feel safe pulling over in that area to get directions, but it is only ever for directions. Heck in the areas I am talking about I have been told by cops to just slow down for a red light and proceed thru with caution as even stopping for a red light is unsafe, if you catch what I mean. (This is a very bad end of a neighboring town I am referring to that I have to go thru frequently to get to DS specialist. I also get lost frequently too.
 

Northriver

New member
As a bit of an aside, I saw a teen using TWO phones at once last week, he was talking on one and texting with the other. Fortunately, he was walking not driving. But I've heard that kids are doing this while they drive, too. Scary.

Once when I pulled off the interstate to make a call from the off ramp, I had a state trouper stop to see if we were ok. That made me kind of uncomfortable, too.

I usually have my teen place calls for me when I'm driving and I ignore incoming calls, but yes, on rare occasions I do make a call when I'm driving alone, so I'm a bit guilty too.
 

jeminijad

New member
It is scary. Unless something major changes (hardship wise, or amazing maturity) I don't plan on letting my kids get their licenses till they are 18 for just this reason.

I read something a couple of years ago on how there are actual physiological changes in the brain between ages 16 and 18 that affect judgement, spatial relations, some other things... and with the way kids are kept so... kidlike... for so many years nowadays, how many 16 year olds have seen just what really happens when a car at high speeds collides with another car, pedestrian etc? Even if they were the perpetrators, how many parents would jump in with the attorney and never allow the child to fully experience the repercussions of their actions?

To me, it is symptomatic of the larger culture and the fact that teenagers aren't adults yet!
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
Both Kansas & Missouri passed no texting laws recently, but what I thought was really stupid is they only apply to the younger crowd - teens. As though somehow if you're over 20 its now safe to text while you drive?! Ludicrous! And I have friends, my age so 27-30 who freely admit to texting while they drive. With their kids in the car. and they're downright proud of how good they are at it. I really really really had to bite my tongue to not lecture my own friends b/c I was floored at the irresponsibility of doing that. I don't even like picking up my phone to look at it while driving, though I have done it.

and I seem to remember hearing at some point that you shouldn't even text and walk, lol. That more people were getting run over and having other accidents b/c they were texting and walking at the same time. My gosh! In a society that has completely lost the ability to intimately communicate b/c of long distance enabling gadgets we feel as though we absolutely must be in contact 24/7 with...everyone! lol When my cousin comes over, she's 19, we actually had to tell her to put her cell phone down while we were eating dinner b/c it was setting a bad example for the kids.
 

erikanohelani

New member
I don't answer calls when I'm driving. My fiance even got our car equipped with bluetooth because he knows I do not answer even his calls while I'm driving. Bluetooth made it easy to keep in contact without my hands off the wheel. Even with the bluetooth we made quick calls, no conversations ever.

I really hate seeing people on their cell phones while driving. I see soooo many everyday in our area. No call is more important than safety! My cousin ran off the rode because of a driver that turned into her lane... on his cell phone.

We can do everything we can to enforce safety in our own vehicles, but sadly we can't help the risks others take!
 

erikanohelani

New member
and I seem to remember hearing at some point that you shouldn't even text and walk, lol. That more people were getting run over and having other accidents b/c they were texting and walking at the same time./QUOTE]

I remember hearing that too!

I have actually seen people on calls/texting crossing the street paying very little attention to the road.

Recently, my mom and brother witnessed a woman mad at her baby's father... hit him with her car. It made me wonder... if he wasn't on his cell phone maybe he would have heard the car coming ???
 

Guest

New member
My kids saw/heard something somewhere about "automatic highways," where the highway would have some kind of system that allowed the driver to put their car on "auto pilot" and the car would just take over and drive for them. While we were talking about it, my dh started in on how it would "infringe on his right to drive the way he wants to," and I was completely flabbergasted. I asked if he had any idea how nice it would be to just get on the highway and take a nap?

Populaar Mechanic or Popular Science had an article on that. I'm sure the Discovery network did a show on it too. I've seen it among my nephew's stuff. That said, like your DH, I want control over my vehicle. I enjoy driving. Sure, it'd be nice to put it on autopilot a lot of the time, but sometimes, I want control. I don't care if I have to have a flashing light and giant warning sign saying "human controlled car", as long as they let me drive it by myself.
 

sirrahn

Active member
Does this mean we should phase out automatic transmissions since it seems that drivers have way too much freedom on their hands to focus soley on driving? :whistle:

You know, that exact thought crossed my mind the other day. DH is starting to shop for his next car and although he would prefer another stick shift, we discussed maybe getting an automatic instead...

And then I thought about DS learning to drive in just a few short years...

And then I thought about him on a cell phone...

Yeah, we'll be getting a stick shift:thumbsup:

I'll admit I talk and drive sometimes if I know it will be short, but I'm hopeless at texting and even talking is just about impossible while driving DH's car.
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
You know, that exact thought crossed my mind the other day. DH is starting to shop for his next car and although he would prefer another stick shift, we discussed maybe getting an automatic instead...

And then I thought about DS learning to drive in just a few short years...

And then I thought about him on a cell phone...

Yeah, we'll be getting a stick shift:thumbsup:

I'll admit I talk and drive sometimes if I know it will be short, but I'm hopeless at texting and even talking is just about impossible while driving DH's car.

Yes! This is one of the several reasons I choose to buy and drive a stick shift. Granted, I just plain old don't like driving an automatic. Drives me crazy. But, I can so see myself falling asleep if I didn't have to shift. And I limit my cell phone time seriously b/c I have to have a hand somewhere to shift. lol

Populaar Mechanic or Popular Science had an article on that. I'm sure the Discovery network did a show on it too. I've seen it among my nephew's stuff. That said, like your DH, I want control over my vehicle. I enjoy driving. Sure, it'd be nice to put it on autopilot a lot of the time, but sometimes, I want control. I don't care if I have to have a flashing light and giant warning sign saying "human controlled car", as long as they let me drive it by myself.

Yup. Me too. I'll gladly have an emblem on the car if it means I still get to be in control of my own vehicle. Yeah, most of the time computers do as they're programmed to, but all it takes is one brownout or power surge to potentially change that. Besides, every time I hear about this I think of that movie, Demolition Man, where everything is automated or virtual, including sex :eek: and driving. Definitely don't wanna go there. But that movie is pretty fun to watch...have to get that again.
 

HisMommy414

New member
I'm 16 and I just got my driving permit on July 31st. I have a cell phone and I'm textually active (LOL) but I know that as soon as I get in the driver seat of a vehicle, my cell phone goes on silent and out of sight (most likely in the diaper bag where it won't fly all over the place during a sudden stop or accident) so that it doesn't distract me. I looked down at the radio for two seconds yesterday and I began to swerve out of my lane. Good thing no one was coming the other direction!

That picture is really stupid though. If I had a call or a text I'd definitely hand my phone to a passenger, no matter what the call/text was about. I don't want to know what can happen if you text while driving. I just got my mom to stop doing it. After seeing the PSA from the UK about the teens who crashed because the driver was texting, I was freaked out about seeing my mother text while driving with me and her 5 month old grandson in the car. I sent her the video and she's stopped. Thank the Lord we weren't in an accident though!
 

lil.miss32

New member
Sorry for not quoting...

** Stick shifts will not solve the problem sadly... My DH (before we got married) would talk and drive or text and drive, and he had a GTO!

** There was an accident in Austin, TX where a girl was texting and at 70mph, rear ended a vehicle... She says she never even saw them... I don't remember if the little boy was injured severely or killed... But OMGosh!!

** My MOM has rear ended somebody (bumped them) while texting.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOTbAbKoL28"]YouTube - Texting While Driving: Bloody & Graphic PSA featured on The Today Show[/ame]
 

kandamom

New member
** There was an accident in Austin, TX where a girl was texting and at 70mph, rear ended a vehicle... She says she never even saw them... I don't remember if the little boy was injured severely or killed... But OMGosh!!

** My MOM has rear ended somebody (bumped them) while texting.

My brother is a firefighter, and had a call similar to the accident you described - 70 mph and hit a DOT truck on the shoulder of a highway without even braking. The driver's phone was found nearby, and it looked like she had been texting. My brother never heard for sure, though. I won't go into more detail, but it was a tough call for the first responders. (If any first responders are reading this, please let me know if it is not okay to mention this on here. I'm out of state and don't know which details were public information.)

I hope your mom learned her lesson.;) I'm glad it was just a bump.

I have a friend who drives around a lot for her job. She sees people texting all the time. I just can't understand why people think this is safe to do. I'm all for laws against texting, but it seems so odd that they need to legislate something that should be common sense.

And yes, I would very much like to see the driving age increased. At least to age 17, but 18 would be great. I can keep dreaming...

HisMommy414, it's great to see someone your age on here! I'm glad to know that some teens today are responsible about driving. Thank you for making your mom a safer driver. I hope you are influencing your friends in the same way.:D
 

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