U.S. Agency Plans Meeting on Distracted Driving

The New York Times ^ | August 4, 2009 | DAVID STOUT

[Eric Blair 2084]

The Transportation Department will convene a meeting of safety experts and others concerned about the dangers of text-messaging and cell phone use while driving, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said on Tuesday.

“If it were up to me, I would ban drivers from texting, but unfortunately, laws aren’t always enough,” Mr. LaHood said.

Mr. LaHood said he hoped to bring together transportation and safety officials from around the country, as well as members of Congress, law enforcement officials and others concerned about what happens when drivers do not give full attention to controlling their vehicles. The session may be held in September, he said.

The call for a summit follows recent studies showing the dangers of text-messaging while driving. A study released in late July by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, for example, found that truck drivers face a 23 times greater risk of crashing or nearly crashing when texting than when not doing so.

“We’ve learned from past safety awareness campaigns that it takes a coordinated strategy combining education and enforcement to get results,” Mr. LaHood said. “That’s why this meeting with experienced officials, experts and law enforcement will be such a crucial first step in our efforts to put an end to distracted driving.”

[Eric Blair 2084]

I speak Liberal having grown up in the Democratic Peoples Republic of NJ. Let me translate this for you....

Hey, toothless hicks in flyover country, if we have to violate the 10th Amendment for the millionth time to do something about this horrible problem that only your betters the illuminati and lib elitists who went to IV League schools see....

We will kick you, Goober and Skeeters ass up and down the sidewalk by passing Federal rules. If you don't pass State laws against this, than no Gubmint cheese federal highway money for you.

It worked with seatbelts and DUI.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Big Brother, Nanny State, Grant Junkie, Bogus Study, Junk Science, Social Engineering, Egalitarian, Central Planning, Sheeple Control, Food Cop, Smoke Nazi, Socialism, Collectivism

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[bareford101]

ooohhhh now I get it. I grew up in the south-land.. and it sounds differently before you interpreted!

[garyhope]

How about a meeting on “distracted” presidents and government officials, etc?

[alice_in_bubbaland]

LOL! I know! The Trenton mentality has gone national!

God help us all!

[autumnraine]

Oh, thank goodness they have solved all the country’s problems so that they can concentrate on making Federal driving laws.

[Bean Counter]

“Stupidity cannot be cured with money, or through education, or by legislation. Stupidity is not a sin, the victim can’t help being stupid. But stupidity is the only universal capital crime: the sentence is death, there is no appeal, and execution is carried out automatically and without pity.”

[Mr. Silverback]

I think texting while driving should be outlawed.

But I also believe that 10th Amendment violators like LaHood should be wearing orange jumpsuits.

[Mr. Silverback]

Oh, thank goodness they have solved all the country’s problems so that they can concentrate on making Federal driving laws.

Dang straight.

[Joann37]

Sorry to be the wet blanket here, but laws MUST be enacted and enforced.

Sad to say, many people are too self absorbed while yakking on phones, texting and doing other things that distract them from the road and conditions. They are totally oblivious to their surroundings, other vehicles and road conditions. And accidents with these devices, and other distractions, become more prevalent each day.

Look at that moron woman who was painting her nails, and slammed right into a motorcyclist stopped at a red light (the story is also mentioned here in the LA Times article). The motorcyclist died, yet the idiot driver of the car was not even charged, because she had not broken any existing law! CAN ANYONE BELIEVE THIS?????

How would YOU like to be the family of the motorcyclist, seeing that the person who killed your family member got off without punishment, free to go off and repeat her actions, which showed depraved indifference to the life of another?

Sorry, “education” in this area has proven to be ineffective. How much more education will it take to get the point across to someone that looking down typing in a message into a tiny device, painting one’s nails, eating out of a bowl with a spoon, or writing a note with pen and paper, for example, all while driving, will take their attention off the road? Isn’t it already obvious that actions of this kind could easily lead to loss of life?

Again, laws must be enacted and enforced, or we will continue to see more accidents and resulting fatalies and serious, life-altering injuries that these distracted drivers cause.

[rockrr]

“If it were up to me, I would ban dhimmicrats from America, but unfortunately, laws aren’t always enough,” Mr. Rockrr said.

[Eric Blair 2084]

You won’t get an argument from me per se.

All politics are local, as in what’s in it for me. I’ve almost been killed by some jackass yenta yapping on her cellphone or young kid texting or on Facebook. Nice to see the nanny state picking on somebody besides defenseless unpopular smokers.

But golly gee willikers, I thought this should be a matter for the States. It says so right there in the Constitution....10th Amendment.

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Whatever, we can’t tell you what to do, but we won’t give you Gubmint cheese from the Feds if you don’t listen.

[kjam22]

There is a skill set to texting and driving. 1st you have to be able to text without staring at the screen. 2nd... you have to hold the thing on top of the steering wheel so you can see the road too. 3rd... keep up with traffic and don’t create issues for other drivers. It’s no big deal if you approach it right.

[libertarian27]

There are ‘distracted operator’ laws on the books already.

Keep it that way -distraction is distraction - period.

Whether you are texting or leaning over the seat to yell at a kid - it’s distraction.

Sooner or later we’ll be pulled over from changing over from Beck to Limbaugh.

[kjam22]

Yep ... in my state there is a law called "failure to vote full attention to driving".

[Mr. Silverback]

Fine with me if they pass these laws, but should they violate the 10th Amendment to do so?

[Joann37]

There may be laws in place in many locations, but as the article states (and I reiterate), the woman in Illinois who was painting her nails remains free after ramming right into the motorcyclist, since she unbelievably committed no violation of law!

I know states rights are a huge issue, but it may be better to pass all-encompassing legislation to ensure that this entire country is covered against these unthinking, uncaring, distracted drivers, who are capable of killing or maiming the rest of us with their very selfish behavior.

[Eric Blair 2084]

There is a skill set to texting and driving. 1st you have to be able to text without staring at the screen. 2nd... you have to hold the thing on top of the steering wheel so you can see the road too. 3rd... keep up with traffic and don’t create issues for other drivers. It’s no big deal if you approach it right.

LOL. ROFLMAO. I followed your advice and I am now able to type this while driving 80 miles an hour and the freeway! You should write a self help book.

[Eric Blair 2084]

wtf. trctr trlr heded for me.

[Eric Blair 2084]

The 10th Amendment has been violated so many times since before you or I were born, that it is now meaningless.

If the feds don’t violate it outright, they claim they don’t violate it per se, they just coerce and cajole the unwashed masses to get in line.

You can do whatever you want to do Mr. State. You just won’t get any Fedrul moneys because the phermaldahyde filled corpse who is still walking around and has forgotten to fall down and get under the dirt Sen. Lautenberg (D-DPRNJ) helped pass the drinking age of 21 back in the 80’s. Using fedrul highway money as a heavy stick.

All of the 19 year old libertarian minded sheeple today trolling the web don’t know that.

They just blame George Bush when they are busted for underage drinking. Dumbasses. They are just kids, what the hell do they know?