http://www.msn.com/en-au/news/sydne...ines-in-one-month/ar-BB13TVIY?li=AAgfYrC

Coming to you soon, not sure of your local laws on mobile (sorry cell for you guys) phone use while driving a car but it is strictly illegal down under. Some smart Aussie invented a special camera to take snaps of drivers doing the bad thing while driving. this has proven to be a financial cash cow for the government. This has sparked a World wide interest in the technology.

I'd be fine with it here. Make the fines so harsh that you can't make your house payment that month and people will think twice before doing it.

Around here I see a lot of cops talking on their cell phones. The State passed a law years ago making talking on a phone illegal, hasn't seemed to make much of a difference here. Gene

Our local cops and emergency workers are allowed to use phones while driving on duty.

"It's clear many drivers haven't got the message,"

I got the message. It's all about the Benjamins.

It's all about paying attention to your driving not messing with your phone. That's why Bluetooth was invented.

They tried the same thing with red light cameras.....those went the way of the Dodo bird. Cities learned that to much of the monies where going to the camera owners and not the city coffers, and that they did not reduce accident rates.

Am I for laws for people using phones while driving? Yes, I lost a good friend to a distracted driver on a cell phone. But IMO these cameras will not reduce the use of people on cell phones while driving.

Often the same words are spoken by hermits and loners that have nobody calling them and no friends to call either.

Hey, get off my lawn!

Or by someone who suddenly becomes a Libertarian when someone tries the same approach with some activity that they participate in. I dislike "there ought to be a law" attitudes. It's why you can't walk out of your house anymore without committing some crime, knowingly or not.

If it were truly about saving lives they could simply tell the phone makers to implement a software update that will not allow anything other than a 911 call if the phone is moving faster than a walking speed. All the technology needed to implement that is already on the phone.

Wow.... tough crowd. God forbid something/someone should interfere with your right to play with your phone while driving.
I agree with Sniper. There should be some sort of technology to not allow a phone to operate unless connected to Bluetooth. And before the naysayers start in with "My old car/truck isn't Bluetooth capable"- UPGRADE your radio. Installed a new radio for a friend in his '98 Ram and we were both pleasantly surprised to find it had Bluetooth in it. And this was 4-5 yrs. ago. No more than I drive now I am constantly having to dodge vehicles crossing the center line. Part of the time I can clearly see a phone in their hand, other times they are looking down. Doing what I have no idea. Exactly why I have a dashcam in both my vehicles to protect me from the idiots who prefer to NOT pay attention to their driving.



Tim

Distracted driving is the number one cause of vehicle accidents. Who is going to argue that enforcement should not be stepped up? Bring on the cameras.

https://markets.businessinsider.com...causes-for-most-car-accidents-1027930348

And according to the research, 'hands-free' is still distracted driving and very dangerous. I have always been surprised that the powers-that-be allow it.

https://www.breitcantor.com/blog/is-it-safe-to-use-a-hands-free-device-while-driving/

"distracted driving" is bottomless hole catchall trap.

Everything when driving is a distraction, checking your rear view mirror, checking your gauges, turning your head to change lanes, taking a sip of a drink, tuning the radio, downshifting, etc.

The real problem is, was it a contributor to an accident?

If LEO/Fireman are allowed to use a cell while in motion, are they somehow gifted in their abilities while driving, lucky, or some other reason why they don't get into accidents?

The problem is as I see it, there are those that are over confident of their driving abilities, maybe have little care of any harm they bring to others, and are willing risk takers, and thier behaviors are lowest common denominator and make all the responsible drivers pay the price with more stringent rules.

So IMO, its possible t use a cell phone without greatly reducing safety, like checking your mirrors, your gauges, your radio, etc and other "distractions".

A better solution, in an accident while on a phone, double/triple/? the penalties

This. This. This.

Tree'd me: You took the words right off my keyboard.

I guess We gotta have death, mayhem, and cash involved instead.

Yup, there's enough tech already in the phones to preclude their operation at, say, walking pace.
I can't tell you how many time I see people focused on their phone while in a crosswalk, or about to walk into a post, or pushing their baby strollers on sidewalks, etc.
Couple years ago I got a ticket from a young city cop who thought I'd run a stop sign in a slow residential area:
I was actually watching him stare at the computer in the center of his dash as he approached the intersection while I was stopped.
He looked up as I started across the intersection.
When he came up to my car and saw my phone next to me, he started to lecture me about our local cellphone laws.
I just started laughing...

So my wife in the passenger seat can't use her phone while I'm driving? Kids in the back seat can't watch anything?

As with many things, because people are dumb, "this is why we can't have nice things". We know using phones are more distracting than other things, but individuals think they're fine, and other people are the problem. Then we still have crashes, and people come up with solutions like this

I agree that phones cause distractions if used while driving, but the distraction is primarily when the call is being made/accepted or handling the phone itself. Hands-free operation isn't significantly different from talking to a passenger in the car. Pretty soon we'll be reminiscing about when you were allowed to listen to the radio in your car or talk to a passenger.

So, what makes cops more capable of using phones while driving? Training? So why can't ordinary citizens get that training and get a certificate to allow use?

Makes no sense.

Calls have become the least of the problem. A lot of the idiots I see are sending/reading full blown text messages or surfing the internet or playing god-knows what game. They can drive a quarter mile down the highway and barely look up.

Cops get to drive hemi chargers at 150 with lights blazen and they can use there phone yet some only complain about the phone, not that they are any better on phones then us but they get certain perks of the job we dont get to do. No biggie there.

So if its a perk, and they are no better, and talking on phones while driving is so "distracting" and by implication so dangerous, why aren't they (LEO's) all dead from traffic accidents?

I'll tell you why, because some people can walk and chew gum at the same time, and know when to do it, and others just can't.

Most people here are talking/complaining about the their driving experiences with those that can't, which I suspect are in a minority, and likely repeat offenders.

Spotify and all of the other music apps are a threat, plus instasnap and facespace.

Might as well as the snitches are out if full force right now and letting the gubmint know if you aren't wearing a mask... How about we get a tiny cell phone and put it inside out masks while we are driving?

You know a sneeze while driving can be very distracting, especially if they repeat, not sure about anybody else, but my eyes close.

So passengers shouldn’t be allowed to use phones? How about buses, trains, etc?

Curious. Is the technology on the phone able to distinguish between a text/call as compared to say..Google maps? Sometimes I think people are more distracted by map directions than phone calls but millions are using map software everyday.

Go back and reread what I said. Then read it again till you understand it. Let me highlight the relevant modifier for you.

So is a burp or hiccup. What's your point?

It's NOT about every little tiny "action" that can be termed a distraction, but about the major ones.

Nah, once was enough.

and yet the in/on dash touch screen "infotainment" center in new vehicles gets bigger with more "features" year by year.

Excellent point. My eight year old Jeep radio/navigation center has features I don’t even know about, nor even care about. I have one job when I’m behind the wheel, I don’t even want, or use, cup holders.

It may be called a cell PHONE but the hazards on the road on not from people talking on their phone but rather people playing on them. Eyes cant watch road and phone screen at same time. The phone takes priority and thus someone gets hit by the distracted driver.

So we get to the crux of the matter. Major to who exactly?

Do most close their eyes while hiccuping or burping? Do they do when seeing bright sunlight?

Because just checking only the time on my cell phone while driving to some is cell phone use, "major", and illegal.

Book 'em, Dan-o...

No phone call while driving is worth your life or the life of someone else, regardless of your social situation. It's funny how people have allowed themselves to becomes slaves to technology, salivating and pouncing at every little chirp or fart coming from their dumb phones, and paying for the privilege, to boot. Pavlov's dog, anyone?

It's what we get from "jamming" one into a child's hands before they can even walk. But today, they're not even just phones anymore. They're basically portable computers which allow you to be "distracted" more so then just a "phone call". "Combine" a Smart-Phone with the Info Centers in cars these days & we shouldn't be "alarmed or surprised" about distracted drivers.

The reality is that some people are addicted to their device just like an alcoholic is addicted to booze. Thus they should be treated the same when they are behind the wheel with their addiction of choice Texting drivers are a particular pet peeve of mine and I have started a few threads about this over the years voicing my anger and disdain about these IDIOTS. Yet there were a few that even confessed that they do text while driving and defended their ability to do it effectively. This sounds like a drunk that says "I can handle my booze" then they get in the car and kill a family of 4 on the way home from the bar. Fines for texting while driving should be equal to the ones imposed for drunk driving PERIOD!
Did you ever take a call while driving and after you ended the call you couldn't remember what you did on the road for the duration of the call? I have and it's unnerving to me so I don't talk other than "can I call you back I'm driving" Most people don't have that kind of restraint and there is were the problem lies.
Rant over

Gus

I believe it has been disclosed the tech companies made a lot of effort to design the use of the apps to reward the subconscious "pleasure" centers of the human brain, so yes, I believe "addiction" is a real factor here, some have enough self control, or satisfy their pleasure needs otherwise, nobody is immune.

Even with Bluetooth, it's a distraction.