Police Question: Text Messaging While Driving?

Question

A couple of weeks ago, I saw a SUV weaving and not staying in the center of the lane. But then when I got to the stoplight, I saw the driver in the SUV text messaging. And when the light turned green, I was surprised to see her driving and text messaging over the top of her steering wheel.

Do other motorists have to wait until she gets into an accident to call the police on her or can they be proactive prevent a possible accident by calling ahead of time? I've also seen people putting on makeup, doing their hair, and reading books while driving at least 65 mph on the highway. How should situations like this be dealt with?

Answer 1

The bad thing is, cops can't do anything about that stuff unless they see it.  Want another good one?  Going down the freeway one time, I saw a woman driving, she had a cell phone in one hand and a walkie talkie in the other.  She was talking into both at the same time, the phone on speaker!  She was steering with her WRISTS!  Go figure.

Answer 2

Florida actually just passed a bill that bans text messaging while driving.

http://www.textfreedriving.org/

I actually just lost my cousin because she was reading a text message while driving. She was involved in a head on collision and died on impact.

I would like to raise awareness of not just text messaging while driving, but any sort of distraction from the road.

There are already maniacs out there that think the road is their playground and go at top speeds, cut people off, pop wheelies going 120 mph... We don't need extra dangers on the road.

My cousin lost her life at 20 yrs old because of this, luckily, no one else was hurt.

Answer 3

Louisiana just passed a "NO TEXTING LAW" last month and it set to go into effect Sept 1.

Answer 4

well here's a  better one i saw this kid driving maybe 16 to 17 years old smoking pot and driving w/his knee weird sh*t huh!!!!!!!! =>

Answer 5

Unfortunately, the legislators are idiots.  Texting is not illegal at this point, but the good news is that it will be.

It is amazing, some states have made it illegal to talk on a cell phone without a hands free device, but their own studies show that the hands free device makes absolutely no measureable difference in driving ability.  

Add that to the fact that there is almost no measureable difference in driving ability when talking on a cell phone and talking to a passenger.

So, until they make conversation in a car illegal, they have done no good by making talking on a cell phone illegal.  In the meantime they have done nothing about texting while driving, so unless they cross the middle line or swerve too much, even a cop cannot stop them for texting.

I have seen one woman with a newspaper in front of her steering wheel, and another reading a novel.  It is AMAZING what people will do while driving.