By: Kelton Kragor
Last year, over 6,000 people were killed and a half-million injured from accidents related to drivers sending text messages. On December 1, 2009 Colorado will join eighteen other states in banning texting, emailing or ‘tweeting’ while driving. If issued a citation, fines range from $50-$100. The new law also bans bus drivers and teens from using a phone in any way possible while operating a vehicle. My question is, how will authorities know if a person is texting or sending an email if that person can easily conceal his/her phone after being pulled over? What do you guys think? Obviously texting has become a major problem and contributed to numerous accidents. Will people collectively stop texting while driving; or will it get worse with new phones coming out every month? I don’t see the fines as being that hard of a penalty.
47 comments:
I travel a lot by car, I prefer safe driving. I found it difficult to type text messages while driving. I installed the simple mobile application of http://www.drivesafe.ly/ to read out incoming text messages.
I don't think this will be to difficult to enforce, and no text message is worth $50. Yes, someone can conceal their phone, but if found, each text still has a time signature. And even if the policeman can't find a phone, I would assume his initial view of the driver texting will be enough to issue the fine. For instance, if someone throws a rock at a policeman, does the policeman need video footage or some other evidence to use his authority immediately? Of course not. Same with speeding; one cop will see your speed through a radar gun. As far as I know, if it ever comes down to your word versus the cop's word, the cop will always win. And this includes texting.
I just don't see this being a very easily enforced law, it seems like more of a "feel good law" that makes us feel like less people are texting while driving. I believe that along with this law, those under 18 are not allowed to talk on their cell while driving, which seems like a more easily enforceable law.
I have heard that texting while driving is equivalent to drunk driving. It is very dangerous and so many people do it. I think that there should be some kind of law to stop this, but really people should just be smarter and get some kind of mobile application that allows texting from speaking instead of putting themselves at risk.
Most likely this will be a secondary offense. It is probably going to be really hard for a cop to actually see if someone is texting unless they are right next to that person. But you are correct, a $50 fine is not the same as getting into a wreck.
I hve a hrd tim sndng txts n wlkng. I cant b-leeve tht ppl thnk they can txt n drv safely. May-b thse fnes will hlp, bt I dbt it. I likd ur idea of mking all drvrs wtch a vdeo bout txtng n drvng, shw ppl how dngrous it is n scare ppl a lit bit.
haha maddie, nice text lingo. Anyway, I think this law will be difficult to enforce and I recommend a law requiring hands-free devices like in California. I have personally been in 2 accidents where my friends are texting while driving and get in a fender-bender. There's no way around it; talking, texting, emailing and surfing the web all making driving a lot more dangerous, even more so than drinking. Requiring hands-free devices has been working in California, and I sure feel safer driving in my home state knowing nobody in the head-on lane is trying to send a text message.
Yes, this law will be difficult to enforce but probably will still be beneficial. I wonder if this will have any implications in what happens post accident. It seems like it might be a good way to defer responsibility if you can prove that one of the parties involved in an accident was texting at the time.
I dont like to text while driving, and i think that it is unsafe. That being said, i do not think that this law will be easily enforced and will have little or no effect on people's driving habits. The boulder sheriff has come out against this law and has said that it is more of a "feel good law" rather than something with actual teeth. A $50 dollar fine is nothing a punishment, this law is essentially a waste of time.
A similar law took effect in Seattle, WA a long time ago, probably because all the streets are all narrow and confusing one ways, but that's neither here nor there. From personal observation many friends have cut out texting/talking while driving despite the relatively low chance of getting pinched.
I agree that this will be a hard law to enforce, yet I think it is an important one to impose. This seems like a law that can only be enforced if you're already doing something else wrong - i.e. you run a stop sign, the cop catches you and sees that its because you were texting, or on the phone. But, I dont think the fine will stop those who want to from texting - we are too dependent on technology these days.
Katie Witters
I agree that texting while driving is extremely dangerous and a very selfish act. Not only are you putting yourself in danger but others as well. Although I agree with everyone that it is going to be very hard to enforce this policy, considering it can be easily done out of view. Its unlike talking on the phone where the phone is obviously in sight. I think there needs to stricter penalties, if the fine was $100 or more I feel it would have a heavier influence.
I think these new texting laws will be difficult for police officers to enforce. Too many people text when they drive and it may be hard to see someone texting as they drive by. Officers will have to take the initiative to actually check the time the text or email was sent when they pull someone over. However, I do think the threat of getting fined will lower the number of people that text while driving overall.
I think this is a good idea, might be a little hard to enforce at first and will probably make some people angry but worth it.
I read an article with a police interview on this subject. The officer said that police will mainly focus on unsafe driving. He acknowledged that enforcing such a law would be very difficult. I'm glad it was implemented, but I think it's mainly focused on deterring texting while driving. I don't think there will be many tickets given, but I do think that there will be a definite reduction in the amount of people texting.
The law about text messaging is just a way to make people more aware that is can have fatal consequences and even though not every person may get caught and fined it is definitely a way to try and eliminate such a dangerous act.
There are a number of other distracting activities that I believe are just as dangerous as texting while driving so it is hard to determine what distractions should be outlawed too. Eating while driving, putting on makeup while driving, searching through your ipod for music while driving are all dangerous. Many things can be eliminated with making cars smarter through hands-free and voice activatio, but should other laws along these lines be made and enforced as well?
Though I must honestly say that I am guilty of both calling people and texting while driving, I do believe it is incredibly dangerous and that this law should be passed. We have learned that just because something is dangerous doesn't mean we won't do it. For we're all smart enough to know that just like using our cell phones while driving, not wearing our seat belts, running a red light or driving over the speed limit could cause us to get in to an accident and even die, we still do it. This is why we pass laws against dangerous actions, for making something illegal with consequential fines gives us a greater incentive to not do it. However, it isn't until we are actually caught, going above the speed limit for example, that we learn our lesson and slow down. It is from this logic that though I believe this law is a wise decision, it will take a while for people to actually be affected by it and make a change. As will it take awhile for the violations to be clarified, before everyone's on the same page. Nonetheless, despite these hurdles this is certainly a law that should be passed, for any action is better than none at all.
Has there been any research that showed similar laws to have an effect in other states that passed them? I honestly don't know if it will make a difference or not, and I don't know how much it cost to pass such a law (so no benefit/cost analysis). However, I am glad that it has raised awareness about the stupidity of such an act; I don't think enforcement was even a priority for lawmakers. I've done lots of things behind the wheel that I shouldn't have, but I have never and never would consider texting. It's a shame that our culture has become so shamelessly impatient that we can't pull over or wait until we get to a destination to send a message. We want what we want and we want it right now! Don't get me wrong, I am not judging- I am impatient as the next person. It's how we've been trained. I would just urge people to have enough maturity to wait just a cottonpickin' minute to send that text.
I do think that people shouldn't be texting and driving, but I do have issues the amount of funding that could be put into a "feel good" law. I do feel like the boulder police department will have a hard time enforcing this and like lucas said I feel like it's another ploy to pull over "suspicious people". If I get pulled over for this law will 5 cops show up, in boulder, most likely yes.
andrew sieving
Common sense is becoming far less common...
It is bad enough trying to walk around campus; people stop abruptly in a moving crowd to text, adjust their ipod, or take a phone call (and who the F cares if some dude was 'Awkward', nobody wants to hear your stupid conversation, find your volume control, find some privacy).
Put this same scenario behind the wheel, and we have to make laws for it.
Unfortunately, people are poor at self preservation... and we need stupid laws to keep us alive.
I live in a state where it is completely illegal to use personal electronics while driving. This includes computers, GPS, cell phones, and video games. While it is extremely hard to enforce by law enforcement, it is often enforced by peer pressure. Other passengers in the car usually volunteer to complete the task and let the driver focus on what they are supposed to be doing. Driving.
If a law enforcement officer sees you texting or talking on the phone, that is probably cause to issue you the ticket. They do not need to produce the phone as evidence, their word is enough.
I agree that this law may be tough to enforce, but I think the whole idea of the law is to scare people and make them more aware of the dangers. The fine should be greater like littering fines on interstates to make the drivers more aware of the consequences.
Like some people brought up: What about I-pods? I know I look down to scroll through music more than I look down to text while driving (though I'm guilty of both). I am fine with this new law, we should have consequences if we endanger ourselves and others because of our inability to wait a few minutes before reading a text. However I think the law will be hard to enforce if phones are banned by ipods (which can look just like iphones) are not. I have a feeling this will be just like the law that says new teenage drivers cannot drive anyone but themselves or family. We all know it is a law but everyone ignores it and the police don't really enforce it.
This is an awful law, I think if you are driving that terribly that a cop pulls you over, or if you are that engaged in something that a cop sees, you should receive a ticket regardless if you're texting, tweeting, playing a PS3, staring into space, talking to president obama or changing the radio if its affecting your driving that much.
Can't people just say they were changing the song on their IPOD? I agree that it is completely dangerous and irresponsible. I know that California changed the law to hands free. Which means no talking on the phone unless you have a blue tooth. But I think with the implementation of this law it increased the amount people would text during when they were driving. So i think a completely hands free approach should be enforced in order to be effective.
I read somewhere that anything that causes you to look away from the road for more than 2 seconds at a time is more unsafe than driving drunk (around the legal limit). I think people that text and drive are much more unaware. However, this does seem to be a relatively soft law that probably will only be enforced if you are really driving terribly. What I wonder is why, in Colorado, they don't require motorcyclists to wear helmets, most other sates do.
Texting and driving laws are definately going to be hard to enforce. That said I would imagine texting and driving will only be a secondary offense (you can only be ticketed for it after being pulled over for something else). The secondary offense method has already proven useful in Colorado in the past for seatbelt laws and curfew laws and would most likely work well for texting and driving too.
I don't think driving and texting is safe. that being said, i don't think the law can be easily enforced. if the phone is in your lap, the cop.. sorry... police officer cant see it and its such a small thing to try to notice while you drive past an officer it would be unlikely if they ever notice.
additionally, It raises questions of what should be banded while driving. though safe driving is important, should playing music or eating food be banned? I think McDonalds would have a thing or two to say if eating while driving were to become illegal.
my sister was actually pulled over for texting while driving when she was a senior in high school. I have no idea how the cop knew she was doing that, and now that I see this site I don't know if what she was doing was even illegal or if you could've fallen under some other law, but he nailed her. He ends up giving her morning and letting her go, and it was at night so the screen lit up pretty nicely. I wondered the same thing about the seatbelt laws, the police seem to be able to tell if you have a seatbelt on or not so who knows.
I do not think the police will be able to figure out if someone was really using their phone in this way unless they were in the car directly beside them. If the technology hasn't yet been invented, I think they should come out with a system that writes words on a text message through voice recognition. No hands or eyes needed.
I think that cell phone use while driving should be banned entirely. It is so dangerous and obnoxious. I also feel the penalty is not significant enough to actually discourage the use of texting.
I think just having a ban on texting is pointless to improving safety. Instead of just banning bus drivers and teens from not using their phones, they should create a ban on it all together, unless your car is off. Although I use my phone in the car every once in a while, I am aware that it makes me a worse driver. I can not tell you how many times I have been cut off or almost been hit by someone on their phone. It takes the same part of the brain to drive and talk, so it should just be banned all together. Plus, regulating texting would just be too difficult, might as well ban it all right?
A good law to have, however, what about natural selection? and bad luck? it would be terrible to be in a wreck, especially one that injured someone, when someone is texting, and only hurts themselves, good riddance. The law exists for the other option in my mind.
This is definitely a good law to have, but what about changing music on mp3 players? Im guilty of changing my ipod while driving, which is probably just as bad. And as far as being on the phone while driving if you're under 18, I think that law should apply to everyone. My mom is much older than 18 and is definitely one of those obnoxious drivers who you can tell is going to be on the phone when you pass them.
I don't think that people will stop texting, I just think that they will try and get more sneaky about it. Maybe a new feature will come out on phones that allows people to speak what they want the text message to say.
is it that hard to wait to text? seriously
I agree that it will be difficult to enforce this law, but I am glad it is there since an deterrent is better than nothing. I'm sure many people will continue to do it though. A stricter penalty I feel would make people less likely to text. As for checking a time signature on a phone, I certainly would not feel comfortable with that. So hypothetically whenever a cop pulled you over they could search through you phone to check what you were doing? No thanks.
The fines are working in some places quite well. In Chicago for instance, even young kids don't want to take the change of getting a hundred, or two hundred dollar ticket. It just depends on how far the government is willing to go with possible penalties, and how high they are willing to set the fine.s
I think it is a good cause to at least discourage people texting while driving. It will be hard to catch, but at least people will second guess texting while driving. Changing songs on an I Pod should also be band while driving.
I was under the impression that this new law would be considered a secondary offense. Much like the seat belt law, officers cannot, or often do not, directly pull you over for not having a seat belt on. However, if you are stopped for another offense, and they notice you do/did not have your seat belt on, then you will be cited a violation. Texting would be the same type of offense.
My question is how researchers obtained the statistics of individual induries caused by texting. As you said, it is very easy to conceal a phone after or while using it. It seems to me very hard to prove that someone was using their phone, or texting specifically, while causing an accident. In any case, there must yield some uncertainty to what actually happened and i find it hard to believe that many people would admit to texting while driving, resulting in an accident.
Like Lukas said, texts have a time signature and so that is their proof. If someone refused to show the police officer their phone so that they could confirm that you were texting then that is probably good enough evidence that you were texting. And if you weren't and got wrongfully accused then you would have no problem showing your phone to an officer to get out of paying a $100 dollar fine.
Yeah this ones pretty much a no-brainer. Texting a pretty tricky thing to do while driving and obviously diverts the drivers attention form the road. Glad to see something sensible be put in to prevent this.
What about using ipods, I feel this is much more distracting
ROBERT SEADER
Although I am guilty of texting and driving I understand the risks. I hate seeing people doing it and I really need to stop. Mobile phones are becoming a hazard especially on the road. The penalties need to be more severe because people are getting away with it and more and more people are getting hurt because of it. Stop texting and driving and talking on the phone...
I'm curious to see if this policy actually does reduce the number of traffic accidents cause by texting. It does seem as though this would be a difficult policy to enforce. Similar to the "click-it-or-ticket" law. All you have to do is put your seat belt on before the officer approaches your door.
Also, what would happen if you get pulled over for texting, but simply deny it. Does the officer have any boundaries on what he can and can't do to confirm you were texting? Perhaps look through your phone and see if you've sent a message in the last minute? I personally would not feel comfortable letting an officer search my phone, but I see no other way that an officer would be able to prove you were texting.
I know Colorado just passed a new law that does not allow texting and driving so hopefully this will reduce it. I think people and teenagers/young adults will continue to text and drive though.
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