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Smartphones Are Killing Americans, But Nobody’s Counting

Lonely1

Unconfirmed Member
Bloomerg said:
Amid a historic spike in U.S. traffic fatalities, federal data on the danger of distracted driving are getting worse.

Jennifer Smith doesn’t like the term “accident.” It implies too much chance and too little culpability.

A “crash” killed her mother in 2008, she insists, when her car was broadsided by another vehicle while on her way to pick up cat food. The other driver, a 20-year-old college student, ran a red light while talking on his mobile phone, a distraction that he immediately admitted and cited as the catalyst of the fatal event.

Yet in federal records, the death isn’t attributed to distraction or mobile-phone use. It’s just another line item on the grim annual toll taken by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration [NHTSA]—one of 37,262 that year. Three months later, Smith quit her job as a realtor and formed Stopdistractions.org, a nonprofit lobbying and support group. Her intent was to make the tragic loss of her mother an anomaly.

Over the past two years, after decades of declining deaths on the road, U.S. traffic fatalities surged by 14.4 percent.
....
Regulators, meanwhile, still have no good idea why crash-related deaths are spiking: People are driving longer distances but not tremendously so; total miles were up just 2.2 percent last year. Collectively, we seemed to be speeding and drinking a little more, but not much more than usual. Together, experts say these upticks don’t explain the surge in road deaths.
...
There are however three big clues, and they don’t rest along the highway. One, as you may have guessed, is the substantial increase in smartphone use by U.S. drivers as they drive.
...
The second is the changing way in which Americans use their phones while they drive. These days, we’re pretty much done talking. Texting, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are the order of the day—all activities that require far more attention than simply holding a gadget to your ear or responding to a disembodied voice
..
Finally, the increase in fatalities has been largely among bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians—all of whom are easier to miss from the driver’s seat than, say, a 4,000-pound SUV—especially if you’re glancing up from your phone rather than concentrating on the road.

More at the source.
 
Some states still don't have distracted driving laws which is just unbelievable
Has anybody looked to see if these are effective?

How enforceable are they and do they reduce usage?

(this isn't a knock against them, but to say there needs to be more done)

This seems like its got to be a culture thing, and the manufacturers need to do more to highlight the dangers. Apples do not disturb stuff is a good start
 
Here in Oregon holding just a mobile device is a $1000 fine while driving. It goes up to $2500 on second offense, and I think the third involves a jail time but not sure. It just started beginning of October.
 

RuGalz

Member
Here in Oregon holding just a mobile device is a $1000 fine while driving. It goes up to $2500 on second offense, and I think the third involves a jail time but not sure. It just started beginning of October.

$1000? damn, CA really needs to up the game.
 

NewFresh

Member
Anecdotal I know, but I have been seeing so many more people actively on their phones in the last year on the highway than ever before. It's terrifying.
 

xxracerxx

Don't worry, I'll vouch for them.
Here in Oregon holding just a mobile device is a $1000 fine while driving. It goes up to $2500 on second offense, and I think the third involves a jail time but not sure. It just started beginning of October.

Yup. The new law also makes it an offense to check your phone at a light, which is glorious.
 

norm9

Member
I see cops using their phones while driving all the time. Enforcement is very selective to nonexistent.
 

knkng

Member
Needs to be viewed as criminal negligence. Killing another person because you are looking at your phone while driving should not be labelled as a mere "accident".
 
Here in Oregon holding just a mobile device is a $1000 fine while driving. It goes up to $2500 on second offense, and I think the third involves a jail time but not sure. It just started beginning of October.

They're not gonna be pulling people over for this.

I imagine most of this enforcement is after another violation or accident
 
There is not a single day where I don't see multiple people on their phones while driving here in SoCal. It's insane. All different ages too. They are always awful drivers too. They drive too slow, drift into the lane next to them, or completely don't move at a green light. I'm so afraid they are going to rear end me.
 

shintoki

sparkle this bitch
I agree, but how do you prove device use? You can measure alcohol level in someone, but not whether they were looking at their phone.

For phone use, it's as simple as getting in contact with the company and noting if the car is compatible for Blu or not.

Texting would be harder to prove, but I imagine if there is a fury of text massages happening leading up to the accident. I think you can make the jump.
 
I live in LA. Almost every time I pull up to a stop light or stop sign, the person next to me has their phone in his or her hand. It's infuriating.
 

crpav

Member
It's crazy how common and "just daily routine" it has become for people to drive distracted like it's no big deal. ALL the time I see people looking down at a phone while driving. Some even take it up a level with talking on the phone in one hand, holding a coffe/drink in the other while also smoking and all too common is a pet loose and on their lap in the car. GEEZ!
 

Ikkarus

Member
In the UK you get a on the spot fine and points on your license if caught with your mobile but you honestly don't see that many policeman about here anymore and I've still seen plenty of people use them still.

It needs to be more severe still in my opinion.
 
I remember reading as far back as 2006 of someone dying due to a distracted driver. A 19 year old, who had already gotten three moving violations (running red lights, speeding), was texting while driving. She was so distracted that she drove out of her lane and hit a bicyclist on the other side of the road (driver's side of her car). Killed the bicyclist even though he had a helmet.

The driver got six months probation, a $1,000 fine, and had to attend a driver's safety course. For killing someone. After already having three driving incidents since having her license for fewer than three years. And her license wasn't even suspended.
 

kaskade

Member
I’ve always wanted a motorcycle but this whole issue is the one big reason I don’t want one. I trust myself, no one else driving on these roads.

I saw a girl driving behind a bunch of motorcycles the other day and she was just looking down at her phone. If one of them had to stop short that’s it.
 
there needs to be an initiative like seat belts. my parents generation seatbelts werent a thing, so when they became mandatory it wasn't ingrained in them to put it on immediately you enter a car. for me though being born into the generation where the first thing i was told to do was put on the seatbelt, its second nature and i dont even consider a thing to do. its already on by the time i turn the car on.
 
I agree, but how do you prove device use? You can measure alcohol level in someone, but not whether they were looking at their phone.

If the driver admits to it (at fault) or is observed holding the phone by law enforcement, kind of like how seatbelt laws work.
 

Gallbaro

Banned
Realistically we need to follow the European approach and make the cost of driving/getting a license really expensive.

But neither republicans nor democrats want that.
 
It'd be nice if software developers could institute a control that will detect movement over 15 miles per hour and lock the phone's texting app. If I'm moving and I have to type something, the microphone button works great.
 

turmoil

Banned
Sadly I think that nothing can be done about that, social networks are addictive by design.

Self driving cars are needed ASAP
 

knkng

Member
I agree, but how do you prove device use? You can measure alcohol level in someone, but not whether they were looking at their phone.

Maybe I'm mistaken, but can you not pull up some kind of activity log for most functions on a phone? At the very least text messaging.

11:45 - Text sent
11:45 - Text recieved
11:46 - Text sent
11:46 - (Time of crash)

Something like this should be prosecuted as criminal activity, imo.
 
It'd be nice if software developers could institute a control that will detect movement over 15 miles per hour and lock the phone's texting app. If I'm moving and I have to type something, the microphone button works great.
The iPhone does this now, but it's optional and only for notifications/"I'm driving now, ttyl" auto-texts. Can't wait for the day we stop enabling this behavior and block phones entirely while one's driving.
 

Iorv3th

Member
South Park just had an episode that covered this.

We had a thread a while back about a girl live streaming to facebook while she was driving dangerously and ended up wrecking the car and killing her sister and continued to livestream after.

I don't know how you would implement/enforce a law on this until after an accident occurs, then checking their cell phone usage.


Smart Phones/Internet have just made people incredibly stupid and less self aware.


It'd be nice if software developers could institute a control that will detect movement over 15 miles per hour and lock the phone's texting app. If I'm moving and I have to type something, the microphone button works great.


But what about the passengers.
 
How would you enforce laws banning use of phones while driving? I don't know if they have that law in GA but I simply put my phone down if I see a cop car.

It'd be nice if software developers could institute a control that will detect movement over 15 miles per hour and lock the phone's texting app. If I'm moving and I have to type something, the microphone button works great.

The phone would need a passenger setting, the driver would just use that.
 

JeTmAn81

Member
It'd be nice if software developers could institute a control that will detect movement over 15 miles per hour and lock the phone's texting app. If I'm moving and I have to type something, the microphone button works great.

Nothing like that would work since it would affect anyone not driving as well. It wouldn't be accepted.
 
Realistically we need to follow the European approach and make the cost of driving/getting a license really expensive.

But neither republicans nor democrats want that.

Would disproportionately effect the poor and minorities.

How are smart phones killing people more in the last 2 years if they have existed for a decade?

It's in the OP. People doing more texting/FB/IG/SC then calling these days.
 

Saganator

Member
I’ve always wanted a motorcycle but this whole issue is the one big reason I don’t want one. I trust myself, no one else driving on these roads.

I saw a girl driving behind a bunch of motorcycles the other day and she was just looking down at her phone. If one of them had to stop short that’s it.

This is me with driving in general. Big reason why I avoid the freeway if possible. If I get into an accident with a distracted driver, I want to be going less than 55mph.
 

Rockandrollclown

lookwhatyou'vedone
Distracted driving laws around here are treated as a minor moving violation. Its worse than drunk driving. Not sure why people can't see that. Damn shame people put answering their texts over others' lives.
 

louiedog

Member
A woman using her phone almost hit me with her SUV. I was in a crosswalk at a stop sign. She was at least half-way down the block so I started crossing, then realized she was not slowing down. I had to sprint to get out of the way as she came to a screeching stop straddling both lanes and in the middle of my crosswalk. She looked up from her phone, noticed me, and said, "ooops. that was silly of me wasn't it." and then started back on her way. I don't think she had any idea how close she came to hitting me, she just noticed me after and realized I must have been there based on how I was looking at her.
 

UrokeJoe

Member
Should be counted as the same as Drunk Driving

I used to think that was a bit extreme but I am moving in that direction. It's almost worse when you drive by someone in a car doing 20-30mph and they are staring straight down at their phone oblivious.
 
Realistically we need to follow the European approach and make the cost of driving/getting a license really expensive.

But neither republicans nor democrats want that.

It is impossible to get to work on time in many cities across the country without a vehicle. Public transportation sucks here. Do you want poor people to just have to kick rocks?
 

RS4-

Member
How are smart phones killing people more in the last 2 years if they have existed for a decade?

Were you constantly on your phone back then checking your snapchat msgs and Instagram posts.

I guess Facebook and aim/msn counts.

Honestly, here in Toronto, we have decent public transit. Make driving while on the phone more serious. Get caught doing stupid shit while driving, too bad, lose your license. Take the bus.
 
I saw someone this morning using their cell phone while driving moments before they ran a red light and t boned a tractor trailer in the intersection. It's a miracle no one was killed.

There isn't enough social stigma regarding texting and driving and, at least where I live, not nearly enough enforcement.
 

SDCowboy

Member
A woman using her phone almost hit me with her SUV. I was in a crosswalk at a stop sign. She was at least half-way down the block so I started crossing, then realized she was not slowing down. I had to sprint to get out of the way as she came to a screeching stop straddling both lanes and in the middle of my crosswalk. She looked up from her phone, noticed me, and said, "ooops. that was silly of me wasn't it." and then started back on her way. I don't think she had any idea how close she came to hitting me, she just noticed me after and realized I must have been there based on how I was looking at her.

On a regular basis (as in almost every day), there will be cars around my swerving all over, and sure enough, when I look, they're usually texting while driving. It needs to start being treated like a serious crime.
 
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