Robby, I’m sorry but your idea is far too disruptive. I just came back from New York on business in a car with a coworker. The person who was not driving was constantly replying to emails and dealing with work issues, that was part of the reason we drove back rather than flying.

That would also discourage using public transportation. One of the advantage to using PT is that you can use your data devices and get work done instead of drive.

MartyL, being bored while driving is no excuse. Taking your eyes off the road can kill people. They will never grow any older, never get married, never have kids, never be a grandparent just because someone got bored and sent “OMG no she didn’t! LOL!”

However, I still think that laws should be more broad so they are easy to enforce and we don’t so many of them that we can’t remember what is illegal and what isn’t. If you’re weaving on the road enough that an officer notices, it shouldn’t matter if it is because you’re on the phone, sending a text, drunk, or arguing with your spouse. Once you stop paying attention to driving to that extend, it should have a heavy penalty.

They calculated the texting-related increased accident risk at 20x.
Risk of dialing a cell phone was 2.8x.
Reaching for an object was 1.4x.

Not sure of the methodology. But it does appear that texting is in a special category of high risk.

The trouble with driving while distracted as a crime is that it’s inevitable given the boring nature of driving, doubly so for commuting day after day past dingy strip malls, garish billboards and fields of corn stubble as is typical here in hoosierland.

The way I read the statute, it appears that surfing the web while driving is acceptable. So is the use of Twitter and all of the wonderful iPhone apps. IF (big if) we want to enforce this type of law, the bill should be rewritten to include those types of functions.

“Any cellphone with the ability to determine its current velocity within ten miles per hour shall be required to disable the text-messaging feature while the cellphone is moving faster than twenty miles per hour.”

Yes, this law would limit people who are just passengers in cars or riding public transport, but it allows us to begin to tackle the problem in a way that doesn’t require punishing people. Seems more reasonable to me, and better for the state economy!

@robbyslaughter

All of those actions will kill someone just as easily. I’m fine with separating distracted driving from DUI, because with drug or alcohol use, you’re impaired for the entire time you’re behind the wheel, not just a few seconds. However, I don’t put distracted driving more than one “notch” behind DUI.

Short point: If you kill or maim someone because you couldn’t be bothered with doing nothing but driving, you lose your license for good. If while under the influence, jail time should go along with it.

One thing that has been so starkly clear with the constant daily ‘debate’ on the health bill is that the dangers pointed out have more to do with private profit than public safety.Even ideology has its price tag. And every message is crafted and targeted by media-savvy experts.

Isn’t this a prime example of how we’ve over thought most things?