Big Brother has already been here and gone, leaving all of his illegitimate government-funding children behind. Wait until you find out that your cell-phone and house-wiring reporting every thought yoy have, every flatulent noise your body emits. This is freedom? This is liberty to do as you choose?
Like so called red light cameras, they will be illegal in many if not all states ...
Theirs is an Australian problem and perhaps they’ll do what they need to do. Ours is an American problem and we should have done what needed to do a long time ago. Something is wrong when you’re safer among drivers who have had 4-5 drinks than people who are texting and driving in any driving conditions. In Michigan, if you’ve been busted twice before for DUI and get caught a third time, you’re facing felony charges. The penalties for texting and driving should be same. Police departments all over the country should add “device squads” as a sub-group of their vice squads...and why don’t we hear anything from Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) about getting tough on texting and driving?
No handsfree via Bluetooth?
Nothing wrong with a phone call, especially when it’s hands free. It’s texting that must be stopped.
Cops in (I believe) one of the Carolinas, drive around with partners in tractor trailer cabs looking down into cars where they get an excellent view of texters.
I think gun owners should be allowed to shoot them out of their hands.
I’d like to see it in place, but only by states that ban the use of cell phones as most already ban texting. If you’re going to have a law to enforce safety, then use it.
A 2014 report from the National Safety Council, which compiles data on injuries and fatalities from 2013 and earlier, concluded that use of mobile phones caused 26% of U.S. car accidents. Just 5% of mobile phone-related accidents in the U.S. involved texting: “The majority of the accidents involve drivers distracted while talking on handheld or hands-free cellphones.”
In 2010, the State Farm insurance company stated that mobile phone use annually resulted in: 636,000 crashes, 330,000 personal injuries, 12,000 major injuries, 2,700 deaths, and US $43 billion in damages. And uninsured drivers left a lot of the bill to public taxes you and I pay.
We have a hands free law in Washington state where I live. But I don’t think I have ever even heard of a ticket being written to anyone I know for using it the other way. At least this way it can be enforced. And if they are not going to enforce it, then take it off the books. It is just another case of the state riding in on their white horse to save you from the big, bad, cell phone user in a car.
rwood
May consider these sorts of measures. Hope so Los Angeles needs it every day someone gets ran over some time 3 times a night.
Hit and run has became the norm here.
I remember distinctly when I began advancing through a red light while using my cell phone. (around 20 years ago)
My attention was clearly divided. I was moved by that incident, to recognize the danger to myself and others.
Fortunately Bluetooth equipped cars came along soon. But even while talking over Bluetooth, I occasionally become distracted by the call.
Here in the Peoples’ Republic of California, you will be cited for using a handheld device while driving.
I see some people with two touchscreen devices mounted on their dash and/or windshields.
Distracted people ARE known to cause accidents.