Comments on: WILL WE see more texting-while-driving accidents?

By: sonya

sonya — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:24:45 +0000

Please GET THE WORD OUT! DO NOT TEXT! My teenage daughter decided to send a text message while driving, lost control of the vehicle, and crashed ( her younger teenager brother was also in the vehicle) and is now permanently paralyzed from her chest down. One choice, one text message and now she will never walk again!

By: Jackie Burrell

Jackie Burrell — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:49:05 +0000

Texting while driving’s beyond the pale. But what I still don’t get is how the “hands free” law makes any difference to one’s distraction level. And if you’re not allowed to hold a cell phone, then where’s the ban on Starbucks to-go cups, hairbrushes and other hand-held items routinely wielded by drivers? (Wait! Don’t ban lattes!) I suspect the new cell phone law was backed by Bluetooth.

By: bradc

bradc — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:51:46 +0000

Found in
http://lacantdrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/cell-phone-faq-2008.pdf

Q: Does the new “hands-free” law allow drivers 18 and over to text page while driving?
A: The law does not specifically prohibit that, but an officer can pull over and issue a citation to a driver of any age if, in the officer’s opinion, the driver was distracted and not operating the vehicle safely. Text paging while driving is unsafe at any speed and is strongly discouraged.

So while technically not illegal you can still get cited if the CHP officer determines the driver is “distracted”.

More accidents are caused by tired drivers than cell phones. Too bad there’s no law against driving drowsy.

By: Rachelle Goldenberg

Rachelle Goldenberg — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:30:47 +0000

I still think that it is insane that talking on a phone was banned, but texting is not. I can’t tell you the number of times I have seen grown men in business suites frantically texting on their cellphone while driving down the freeway in commute traffic.