Monday, November 28, 2005
When will we have the courage to act?
A 17-year-old teenager in Highlands Ranch, Colorado allegedly lost control of his car while text messaging on his cell phone and hit a bicyclist, Jim R. Price, who died two days later. Bicyclists have the same rights as the drivers of cars and trucks but because of their small size and reduced visibility they must rely on the thoughtfulness of other drivers to watch for them. The time has come to deal with this issue.
"We do not believe it was an intentional act, but it was inattentiveness to the roadway," said Lt. Alan Stanton, spokesman for Douglas County Sheriff's Office. "The investigation showed that he was text-messaging on his cell phone" at the time of the accident, said Stanton.
I have written about this here and here. Too many young people are driving without paying attention to the highway. You may recall when I wrote about my nephew. He had had his second wreck from not paying attention while driving. Sadly, in his third wreck last week he totaled the family car and risked the safety of three teenage passengers when he hit a concrete structure on the Interstate. Fortunately no one was hurt. The cause was his inattention to the highway. The excuse was another car cut in front of him. Both of his parents drive over the speed limit and tailgate. Is it any wonder he drives the same way?
His parents do not understand their behavior is part of the problem. What did my nephew say after the accident? He wanted a safer vehicle so he has asked his parents for a large pickup truck. Does it occur to him to modify his driving behavior? No, his thoughts are just get me a heavier vehicle so I can be safer.
How many people must die before we as a society have enough courage to act?
The penalty for causing the death of Jim R. Price will be a misdemeanor charge. Does that seem fair to you?
Comments:
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I don't think that more laws or tougher penalties for existing ones will do much good. People like your nephew's family already ignore the law and apparently couldn't care less about endangering other people. They, and the many drivers like them, vividly demonstrate every day their utter contempt for any law they find inconvenient. Consequently, there's no reason to believe that such drivers will hesitate even briefly to break any new or revised law.
The only possible solution is, perhaps, a technological one. Surely, some smart techie types can come up with a way to keep a cell phone from operating in a moving vehicle (except to dial 911). The only law that would then be needed would be one to require the technology on cell phones. Yes, people would bitch and howl and scream that it interfered with their freedom; but don't all laws interfere with our freedoms to some extent? And because those people have demonstrated contempt for the law by driving dangerously and endangering innocent lives, they have no right to demand to be able to continue the behavior.
If you want to get tough, get tough.
I know that most people wouldn't support mandatory use of the technology I described (and it doesn't even exist as far as I know). But I also know that things aren't going to change one tiny bit as long as drivers like your nephew and the kid who killed the bicyclist have access to cell phones and no regard for others. If we don't change the technology, we can't hope to change the behavior, regardless of how many laws or penalties we impose.
The only possible solution is, perhaps, a technological one. Surely, some smart techie types can come up with a way to keep a cell phone from operating in a moving vehicle (except to dial 911). The only law that would then be needed would be one to require the technology on cell phones. Yes, people would bitch and howl and scream that it interfered with their freedom; but don't all laws interfere with our freedoms to some extent? And because those people have demonstrated contempt for the law by driving dangerously and endangering innocent lives, they have no right to demand to be able to continue the behavior.
If you want to get tough, get tough.
I know that most people wouldn't support mandatory use of the technology I described (and it doesn't even exist as far as I know). But I also know that things aren't going to change one tiny bit as long as drivers like your nephew and the kid who killed the bicyclist have access to cell phones and no regard for others. If we don't change the technology, we can't hope to change the behavior, regardless of how many laws or penalties we impose.
It is a difficult problem. People like my nephew do not feel they are dangerous drivers. In fact he thinks he is a skilled driver. I don't know what the answer is. Public awareness programs could be a start. Public service advertisements and billboards.
After an accident the police should check cell phone records to see if the cell phone was a factor. I understand it is an intrusion but too many people are dying and being hurt. A charge of reckless driving or driving while distracted could be added if the cell phone was in use at the time of the accident. There needs to be some consequence or the behavior will not change.
After an accident the police should check cell phone records to see if the cell phone was a factor. I understand it is an intrusion but too many people are dying and being hurt. A charge of reckless driving or driving while distracted could be added if the cell phone was in use at the time of the accident. There needs to be some consequence or the behavior will not change.
People like my nephew do not feel they are dangerous drivers. In fact he thinks he is a skilled driver.
Well, your nephew needs to have some video taken of his driving behavior and have him watch what he's doing until he realizes why he's such a bad driver. Until someone shows him what's wrong, how will he fix it? He won't.
As for the teen who killed a cyclist, he should be charged with involuntary manslaughter, and have his driving privileges taken away until he's 21 (at the very least)!
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Well, your nephew needs to have some video taken of his driving behavior and have him watch what he's doing until he realizes why he's such a bad driver. Until someone shows him what's wrong, how will he fix it? He won't.
As for the teen who killed a cyclist, he should be charged with involuntary manslaughter, and have his driving privileges taken away until he's 21 (at the very least)!
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