After seeing enough people on the road running into the curb, barely side swiping me, and wandering in between lanes, ALL while these people are texting, I'd really like to see the government mandate accelerometers to be used in cellular phones, such that the phone cannot be used to text unless the phone is standing still. This will solve the following problems:

1. People driving while texting, and causing accidents.
2. People walking while texting, and running into buildings, or wandering out in front of traffic (I've seen it happen).

This will introduce the following problems:

1. You would not be able to text while you're riding as a passenger. A feature could be implemented such that this safety feature could be turned off, but then everyone would turn it off, and the original problem would still exist.
2. Theoretically, an accelerometer would think the vehicle is standing still, even when travelling at a constant velocity because acceleration is zero. Perhaps an accelerometer alone is not the best choice.
3. People often move the phone itself while using it to text. However, a threshold could be designed in the software to allow for a reasonable amount of movement.

What are everyone's thoughts on this? Maybe this has been brought up before? I don't think this would be too impractical to implement. Accelerometers are now a commodity (a lot of the electronics you use on a daily basis already have them).

Cellular telephones don't have a long life. They're usually dropped in the toilet, ran over, lost, or discarded for a new phone far before the electronics themselves wear out. If the government were to mandate the idea this year, I believe it's safe to say at least 75% of phones in use 5 years from now would have been manufactured under this mandate.

 

I think texting should be banned in concept alone. Just make people talk on the phone to communicate the same information. It's far too cumbersome for me to punch buttons on a phone for 10 minutes to relay the same information I can say in 2.

Can you tell I hate texting?

 

I don't want any of that crap installed on my phone, I'll use it whenever I damn well please.

However I HATE people who talk or text while driving(completely zone out and are oblivious to whats going on) and think they post the greatest danger on the road. If someone is in my way and on the phone I don't feel bad at all when I lay on the horn.
I probably would support a law making it illegal to text while driving. I'm really not one for more laws and would rather just deal with the idiots driving around than get a ticket myself for making a quick call. I never text while driving and almost never talk unless I absolutely have to and if I do I make damn sure I'm paying attention to where the F my vehicle is going.

 

GPS might be a better technology than an accelerometer to detect motion.

It would be better yet if some people would just use their brain once in a while.

 

I have received text messages while driving before and wanted to respond to them but I will either call the person or just put the phone down. Too many crazy drivers out there to be distracted by a stupid phone.

 

My thoughts exactly!

My wife has a co-worker who texts her while at work....and this other woman's office is just down the hall! In fact, this woman just got a new Blackberry to enhance her texting ability and because of the fact my wife has one.

 

As much as I cant stand cell phone talking/texting drivers,(And man I hate em') We dont need more government restrictions to our lives, they are already on a good run with that now......We need more education about how stupid it is. Little girls in hondas who can barely drive anyway, DO NOT need to be talking/texting while attempting to drive.....Hang up and drive.

 

it should already be illegal in washington to text and drive... although i still text while driving... its usually one word replys such as i will simply say driving... or freeway... or text you when i stop... **** like that... my friends just say ok... although, i do text my girl back and forth constinally while driving down the road... but ive been able to memorize where the keys are at... how many times i have to push the button for the letter i want, and how long i have to wait if i want to use a letter thats on the same key... and only do a quick proof read to make sure its ledgible... and look at it to read incoming texts...

i personally think that the cops need to go after people drinking and driving more then they need to go after texters too...

 

I think a great place for that to start is with the parents and with consequences that they actually go through with.

A couple I know recently had their two oldest get their driver's licenses. First rule set down - no talking on the phone and no texting while driving, or they lost privileges to the car(s) for 2 weeks. The father was told she was doing it by one of the other siblings who went with her somewhere. He was able to pull up the bill and see when calls/texts were made off her number and such and indeed, yes, she was. Pulled her license and the keys she had to the car for 2 weeks - just like they said they would.

She wasn't happy, but from what the dad tells me she has learned a lesson and hasn't done it since.

 

Police Suspect Texting in I-29 Crash - WDAF

I know one of the officers that was injured in this crash. He was in the first cruiser that was struck. He was lucky that it didn't happen a few seconds later, as he was getting ready to get out direct traffic.

 

Ive almost had several accidents due to people texting or using the phone and not paying attention. Another solution would be to have a "cell phone jammer" installed on cars .Any phone within about 10 feet would be jammed while the cars engine is running. Note this simple electronic device is cheap to buy and it would be tied in to the computer so it couldnt be disconnected.....If any fool hit me thats using the phone I WILL CALL MY ATTORNEY. Iwould like to install a blocker in my car that would "disconnect" any phone thats within about 50 yards. It would be funny to watch some soccer mom talking way and then flip the switch...( note this device even though is illegal can be bought on the internet and getting caught using it would be inpossible,,)

 

Well, now that you've all but admitted to it, there shouldn't be a rash of cell phones dropping calls mysteriously in your neck of the woods.
Adding more laws to an already overdurdened police department is unreasonble, to say the least. I am looking for a sign that I can hold up that says "Hang up and drive, Idiot!"

 

My Wife was rear ended by a 20 YO texting while driving 55+

Luckily no one was killed. The impact pushed the body of the car within 10" of My Son's car seat. If I'd have been on the scene, I shudder to think of what I would have done/said to the idiot.

Texting while driving is WORSE than drinking and driving. Because there are MILLIONS of idiots that can't drive properly in the first place. Then add a MAJOR distraction to Their already non-existent driving skills. Accident waiting to happen!

By the way, do they still teach 'How to PROPERLY merge onto an Interstate' in drivers training? 'Cause there seems to be more and more idiots that can't do it properly.

 

Well said. I was rear ended by a jerk doing about 45 and will never know if he was on the cell phone. Another big problem is that even though you may be hurt bad the insurance company of the offender(if he has it) can make you wait 3 years before you get enough to buy the first bandaid. After it was all over even though I had a lawyer I was awarded just enough to just cover my medical bills which I had to pay 100% for 3 years...Forget about pain and suffering and time wasted,for that I got NOTHING......Nationwide wasnt on my friggin side.

 

Texting, eating, drinking, lighting cigarettes, make up application, nose picking, loud music, tvs from anywhere in vehicle, cb radios, frisky girlfriends/boyfriends, pets on laps, screaming kids....they are all distractions that have caused wrecks.. Outlaw em all.