Distracted Driving

An article in this morning's newspaper caught my eye about our community college hosting a program simulating distracted driving for students to safely experience it firsthand. Two articles down from that story was a report on a 70 year old man killed in an accident when a car rammed into his from behind at an intersection, forcing him into oncoming traffic. The car behind was driven by a 22 year old that failed to stop at the intersection. Not knowing more details about the incident, it seems likely that he was driving distracted.

In my previous relationship my ex did most of the driving. In recent years she took to more regularly violating Maryland's hands-free laws (no hand-held device usage for calls or texting), mostly in reading and sending text messages while driving, despite me asking her on more than one occasion not to do so.

Not blame free by any means, I have also done my fair share of distracted driving, both in reading and sending text messages while behind the wheel of a moving car, though I've never made a habit of it and much more often than not will restrict the use of my phone for any reason to instances where the car is stopped at a light or pulled off the road.

This is an important issue for me, and not just because I spend most of my daily travels in a state of heightened vulnerability on a bicycle seat instead of behind the wheel of a car. I'd like to know what you all think about it. That being said...

What kind of laws exist in your jurisdictions to combat distracted driving?

Do you feel distracted driving is a big enough problem that behaviors such as cell phone usage while driving should be regulated? If so, do you feel that existing laws are doing enough and/or are adequately enforced, or does more need to be done?

Have you ever had a close call while driving distracted or riding as a passenger with a distracted driver?

Did that experience change your own behaviors?

 

Michigan has a "no texting while driving" law. I believe it is a $100 fine for a first offense, not sure what happens after. As far as I'm aware, there is no law against talking on the phone.

I feel like distracted driving is a real issue. I occasionally will read and text in the car, but I restrict it only to being stopped at a red light or parked somewhere. I don't think any text is important enough to take my eyes off the road for. I know I am a competent and capable driver and could probably keep myself in a lane and driving even while glancing away for a second, but I was taught in driver's ed and by my mother "The best way to avoid an accident is to treat every other driver like they failed driver's ed and this is their first time behind the wheel". I definitely think distracted driving laws are ones that should be enforced; but unfortunately, I think that trying to enforce these laws is like trying to enforce underage drinking laws in college towns - it's extremely difficult to police until something catastrophic or obvious happens. People are going to keep doing it until they get caught, and even then will just try and be sneakier about it.

Passenger, yes. An ex would text all the fucking time while driving. Even when I asked him to stop. He then drove 50 mph through an active school zone with unloading buses because he wasn't looking at the road. This was before it was illegal to text and drive, but still.

I never really texted and drove before that (again, only at red lights/parked), but it definitely reinforced my decision not to.

 

I think the enforcement issue is a real challenge, especially since regulating cell phone usage addresses—or attempts to address—only one of many means of facilitating distracted driving. Many other actions can mimic the same loss of attention, including but not limited to drunk driving (obviously), fatigued driving, adjusting the radio, looking at a GPS, eating (or scrambling to pick up the ketchup container that dropped between the pedals while you weren't looking), putting on your makeup, shaving your beard, reading a newspaper, etc. It strikes me as a very homeland-security/TSA-esque approach to tackling the problem, to target a single, recognizable behavior—like requiring airline passengers to remove their shoes because one dumbass sewed a bomb into the sole of his—in the hopes that it will limit a trend that's caused by too many variables to count. Obviously it's going to be a hell of a challenge to try to ban driving while tired or eating while driving, for example, in the same way.

 

Absolutely nothing on a motorcycle scares me as much as a driver on a cell phone. I've had too many close calls due to distracted stupidity. I'm a complete asshole as a passenger, when the driver chooses to use a phone. It's really a sore point with me.

 

From the Indiana Dept of Motor Vehicle website

I have a hands free device. I've had one since the late 90s. The original Jabra wired one was my first. I hate driving while holding a phone to my ear. And I seldom text/email while driving. Seldom as in I sometimes will respond, sometimes. Generally I speak on the phone while on an Interstate, so my level of concentration and awareness of surroundings isn't all that necessary (no, you dumbass, you're only going 74 mph!). I have pulled over for phone calls while using hands free if the call required all my focus.

Been almost hit on my bicycle too many times by someone yakking on a phone. Usually they aren't looking both ways when pulling into traffic or drifting into another lane. I don't believe I've ever created a situation, however.

 

I think distracted driving is a definite problem, but distractions are caused by a lot more than just cell phones. Cell phones are just the most focused type of distraction. I rarely ever use a cell phone while driving, I might read a text at a red light, or when there's no traffic around, but never in traffic. I think glancing at a cell phone is about the same as glancing at the radio to change the station. I never text back or answer calls while driving though. I've been that way since before texting and driving became a popular topic. I'm more worried about how many drivers are bad drivers even when they aren't distracted.

 

Cell phone usage while driving is banned here.

Yes, I think it should be.

Yes, I've experienced issues with people on cell phones.

I rarely use them while driving (though have occasionally for quick calls - but never texting, which I barely do anyway).

 

In Oregon both phone/texting and even eating while driving is violation. But I see a lot of people on phone while driving. This very morning the lady coming opposite direction had her head bowed looking/texting while driving! I freaked out.
I also freak out when people cross roads while talking over cell phone.
I attend phone while driving using my car's blue tooth speakers. While driving my truck I just wait to return it later.

I am paranoid because I have a habit of visualizing accidents often while driving. It started happening since I met with an accident during which I never lost my consciousness.

 

Touching your phone while driving here is illegal. I've got a holder in the car and (apart from answering) can hold a conversation without going near the phone. In actuality you have to be pretty unlucky to get caught, but I think the law is very much common sense. This is why a lot of cars have bluetooth phone connections and buttons on the steering wheel (both for the "phone" and for the music system.