Study: distracted driving laws don't stop crashes

[NickD 203]

Also a question of liability if you kill someone in the process, regardless of the reason. While the day is issuing the drivers' license and making all the laws, they are not the least liable for your actions. You and your insurance company are.

My son worked in the auto insurance business for awhile as a claims adjuster, depending upon the court, a person can be sued far beyond the limits of their liability insurance and lose everything. Would think that would be sufficient for people to comprehend what they are doing behind the wheel. But apparently, it's not.

Your insurance company can deny coverage if you made modifications to your vehicle without reporting them, it's all in that 2 point print in your policy. Who ever reads all that stuff? But yet a ton of guys are modifying their vehicles, they will find out, even though an accident may not be their fault.

[Peikko 1,575]

Well, yes. Insurance is a tricky business and insurance brokers are in it to make money, not feel good when they help a road user back on the road. I can understand why an insurer would demand to know at least performance modifications - not sure about purely cosmetic ones though.

[natty bumppo 297]

Well, yes. Insurance is a tricky business and insurance brokers are in it to make money, not feel good when they help a road user back on the road. I can understand why an insurer would demand to know at least performance modifications - not sure about purely cosmetic ones though.

if something happens to a cosmetically modified vehicle ... the owner will want to get more $$$$ than the value of the base car. if the value of the modified vehicle wasn't reassessed by the insurance company with appropriate raise in premium should the owner be allowed to get more $$$$?

[Ali G. 37]

Don't bloody get me started on insurance here. If it's not health insurance it's car insurance. Gezzz what a headache, as it's time for renewal. I lost a bill and missed paying it in November. I was then off to Aus in December / Jan, I never received any notices regarding it. Because of this situation, it has now hit my credit report and my premiums shot up. Apparently I can no longer drive because of this. God help the people who lost their homes during this crisis, their premiums would be through the bloody roof.

The only thing I had to compare in Aus was the initial single deductible, the rate and the overall coverage. For example, I would basically pay $800 a year for up to $10 million in coverage, with a $300 deductible.

Edited January 29, 2010 by Booyah

[MrsCat 6]

Don't bloody get me started on insurance here. If it's not health insurance it's car insurance. Gezzz what a headache, as it's time for renewal.

The only thing I had to compare in Aus was the initial single deductible, the rate and the overall coverage. For example, I would basically pay $800 a year for up to $10 million in coverage, with a $300 deductible.

Well sh!t, something we actually agree on. Insurance is a disaster in this country on fall fronts. And the HI no-fault system is just nails.

[SuperDuper! 230]

What REALLY turns men into distracted drivers.

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

I typically agree with the need for cellphone laws and enforcement, though I find it unfortunate that the brush needs to be so broad. I recognize that it does need to be broad, but I'm positive that some people are better able to talk on a cellphone while driving that others are, much in the same way that some people are better drivers than others, period.

The big grey area, however, is where you draw the line at "distraction". If I go to change a CD or switch radio stations, am I distracted? If I grab my coffee out of my cupholder and take a long sip of it, am I distracted? How about if I'm smoking a cigar while driving to work, tapping the ashes into an ashtray every couple of minutes...am I distracted? My wife is in the passenger seat and we're having a lively discussion...am I distracted? One could easily make the case that the answer to ALL of these hypotheticals is a resounding "yes". And yet they're all things I do on a regular basis, and have never caused an accident in my fourteen years of driving. How are these things different from talking on a cellphone while driving? In three of the four scenarios above, I've got one hand off the steering wheel. Is that the issue?

I don't own a cellphone, so obviously I never use one while driving...so most of the above is just playing devil's advocate. But honestly, how broad is the brush that is painting such laws?

[Peikko 1,575]

I typically agree with the need for cellphone laws and enforcement, though I find it unfortunate that the brush needs to be so broad. I recognize that it does need to be broad, but I'm positive that some people are better able to talk on a cellphone while driving that others are, much in the same way that some people are better drivers than others, period.

The big grey area, however, is where you draw the line at "distraction". If I go to change a CD or switch radio stations, am I distracted? If I grab my coffee out of my cupholder and take a long sip of it, am I distracted? How about if I'm smoking a cigar while driving to work, tapping the ashes into an ashtray every couple of minutes...am I distracted? My wife is in the passenger seat and we're having a lively discussion...am I distracted? One could easily make the case that the answer to ALL of these hypotheticals is a resounding "yes". And yet they're all things I do on a regular basis, and have never caused an accident in my fourteen years of driving. How are these things different from talking on a cellphone while driving? In three of the four scenarios above, I've got one hand off the steering wheel. Is that the issue?

I don't own a cellphone, so obviously I never use one while driving...so most of the above is just playing devil's advocate. But honestly, how broad is the brush that is painting such laws?

Very narrow. The 'brush' is specific to cell phone use. It is specific to that because there is empirical evidence that driving while using a cell phone is a significant factor as a cause of large numbers of accidents.

Yes, any behaviour that you indulge in that distracts you from concentrating on driving could cause an accident. As you are aware of that, you should adjust your driving practices to take that into consideration. Just because you have not caused an accident yet, does not mean you will not in the future. Only you can know which are significant risk factors and which are not.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

If you can't drive and talk [excluding texting, do that, I say pull you from the car and pull your license on the spot] on your cell phone at the same time, then your driving skill level is sorely lacking and you should not be driving regardless.

There are any number of other 'distractions' including but not limited to talking to passengers, watching your kid, changing radio stations, swapping CD's, having a drink from you coffee cup, water bottle etc.

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

If you can't drive and talk [excluding texting, do that, I say pull you from the car and pull your license on the spot] on your cell phone at the same time, then your driving skill level is sorely lacking and you should not be driving regardless.

There are any number of other 'distractions' including but not limited to talking to passengers, watching your kid, changing radio stations, swapping CD's, having a drink from you coffee cup, water bottle etc.

I agree completely. That's why I think cellphone laws miss the point, by and large. How about rather than ban cellphone usage while driving, give training courses on using a cellphone while driving. If a person can successfully hold a twenty minute cellphone conversation while simulating actual road conditions, that person gets a little cellphone sticker on his license and registration.

[Ali G. 37]

I agree completely. That's why I think cellphone laws miss the point, by and large. How about rather than ban cellphone usage while driving, give training courses on using a cellphone while driving. If a person can successfully hold a twenty minute cellphone conversation while simulating actual road conditions, that person gets a little cellphone sticker on his license and registration.

You cannot train to do both. The fact is that if someone is concentrating on a conversation, they are not fully concentrating on driving. Driving requires 110% of your attention, otherwise that is how and why people end up dead.

Using handsfree though, is much better than holding a phone to your head.

Edited January 31, 2010 by Booyah

[john & jean 37]

make the first offense a twenty eight hundred dollar fine, as they intend to for commercial drivers

that will be enough to measure with statistics.......

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

You cannot train to do both. The fact is that if someone is concentrating on a conversation, they are not fully concentrating on driving. Driving requires 110% of your attention, otherwise that is how and why people end up dead.

Then ban stereos, ban passenger seats, ban drive-thrus...ban everything that could possibly interfere with driving!

Driving is a very basic function, which is why most kids are allowed to drive at fifteen or sixteen years of age. It takes skill, sure...but a person with an IQ of 80 can drive, as can a person with an IQ of 180. And some of those people are more capable of carrying on a conversation while driving than others.

I'm not against cellphone bans, by the way...I just think they just miss the point.

[MrsCat 6]

All that I can say about the ban on the Big Island (and I believe on Oahu too) is that cellphones and all electronic devices are banned except for GPS devices. LOL - that was a real cop-out for the tourism and car rental industries.

Locals can't drive while using their cell phones, but heck lost-newbie tourists can take their eyes and fingers off the road all they want to use a GPS unit.

More reason that I don't believe that this law is made as a concern for our safety.

Edited January 31, 2010 by MrsCat