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Disconnects in the distracted-driving blame game

USA Today -- In 1930, former Massachusetts state senator George Parker tried to ban car radios because they were too distracting. He invoked the ire of both the Radio Manufacturers Association and motorists, who loved driving to music, even though early radios were expensive and sometimes burst into flames. After consumers protested at his office, Parker dropped the effort and decided to focus on drunken driving instead.

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Submitted Apr 30, 2012 By: ziyulu

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schatzila Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:4,944 Points:1,015,645 Joined:Jun 2010	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 5:56:01 PM Ignore schatzila Report Abuse Multi-tasking is a myth. People need to focus on one thing at a time.
Rich1430 All-Star Author Indiana Posts:761 Points:257,340 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 1:50:08 PM Ignore Rich1430 Report Abuse Only a liberal would be stupid enough to think and attempt to legislate this into law.
swepson Champion Author Greensboro Posts:5,468 Points:1,551,375 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 9:32:11 AM Ignore swepson Report Abuse I have found a rule to what a dangerous distraction is. If you can't do it while reading a newspaper article and then explain what you've read, it a dangerous distraction. Reading and interpreting what you've read takes about the same concentration as driving. I believe you can eat and read or listen to music and read, but not carry on a phone conversion while reading. There is something about the phone that you can't block out like a conversation in person. You have to concentrate to hear on the phone and to formulate an answer.
db60 All-Star Author Indiana Posts:982 Points:211,255 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 9:24:22 AM Ignore db60 Report Abuse Hang up and drive.
Metrolizer Champion Author Fort Worth Posts:2,015 Points:2,207,630 Joined:Feb 2005	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 9:14:36 AM Ignore Metrolizer Report Abuse Observation is skewed by the large number of drivers who are simply inconsiderate, but I've seen too many drivers with cell phones to their ears driving stupidly (e.g. on freeway much slower than traffic flow) to believe that even conversing on the cell phone, let alone placing a call, is not dangerous. And texting while driving should be illegal everywhere.
bicycle1966 All-Star Author Akron Posts:605 Points:401,840 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 9:13:25 AM Ignore bicycle1966 Report Abuse Many people agree that cell phone use and texting are bad while driving -- but many do it anyway. Why? Because most who do so think it's all the OTHER drivers who can't do both at the same time. I have bluetooth in my car for hands-free calling -- but I still avoid making/taking calls while I'm driving. Even the hands-free calling is a major mental distraction.
YaBassa Champion Author Michigan Posts:2,425 Points:516,125 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 9:10:07 AM Ignore YaBassa Report Abuse Mobile phone use in automobiles should be hands-free only.
BurntOrange Champion Author Austin Posts:8,722 Points:1,582,040 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 9:08:17 AM Ignore BurntOrange Report Abuse Studies indicate that hands-free cell phone use is just as bad as hand-held cell phone use. One of many studies
joseph000 Champion Author Houston Posts:1,161 Points:218,075 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 9:05:10 AM Ignore joseph000 Report Abuse The lesson here, more people need to be protesting at their politicians offices!
Buckeyee Champion Author Maine Posts:4,602 Points:898,780 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 9:04:32 AM Ignore Buckeyee Report Abuse Here in Maine at this time of year, your biggest driving distraction is moose walking into your car on the highway.
JamesCalvin Champion Author Lancaster Posts:3,181 Points:518,480 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:56:31 AM Ignore JamesCalvin Report Abuse Take a one year of airplane pilot's lessons and the mental skills you learn will give you the mental skills to overcome the mental laziness that causes distractibility! Then test for distractibility prior to issuing a drivers license! Only those who successfully pass the test should be able to use a cell phone while driving. Pilots flying solo are able to mentally focus on the necessary tasks while reading dozens of intricate gauges and meters while taking and receiving many radio messages. There are various levels of pilots licenses; there could and should be various levels of drivers licenses! CDL licenses come with various classes. So should regular drivers licenses based on distractibility! Already we have junior drivers licenses in many states! We might have: Class A: may use call phone Class B: May use hands free cell phone for business purposes only! Class D and below may not use cell phone while car is on or along a public highway.
johntxx Champion Author Texas Posts:2,778 Points:615,345 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:45:22 AM Ignore johntxx Report Abuse My new vehicle has built-in bluetooth. There's a mic in the headliner and you hear the caller through the stereo system. To make a call you push a button on the steering wheel (just like adjustments for the radio or cruise control), speak who you would like to call, then you're connected. To hang up, push another button on the steering wheel. Your hands never leave the wheel and you're not distracted glancing at a screen looking for a name or phone number. And as badbonita said below, "while on the phone, speaking with a hands-free set is no different IMO than talking to a passenger in the car with you."
mwc407 Champion Author North Carolina Posts:1,095 Points:557,485 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:45:08 AM Ignore mwc407 Report Abuse I agree! There will ALWAYS be distractions. In the 1930s it was car radios. In our time it is cell phones. Give it a few more years and "talk to text" will be an extremely commonplace event - if not downright mandatory - for texting that happens inside the cabin of an automobile.
JamesCalvin Champion Author Lancaster Posts:3,181 Points:518,480 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:37:37 AM Ignore JamesCalvin Report Abuse Distractions abound! Not being distracted by distractions is a learned mental skill! If learning how to focus and not to be distracted were taught to our children by parents at an early, age, when they get to first grade they would learn faster... ...and when they get to Driver Ed classes, the basic mental skills of not being distracted would enable them to drive more safely! [Edited by: JamesCalvin at 4/30/2012 8:38:11 AM EST]
lsb1955 Champion Author Salt Lake City Posts:2,023 Points:518,595 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:21:59 AM Ignore lsb1955 Report Abuse too many distractions
lcleveland Champion Author San Antonio Posts:2,656 Points:650,075 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:21:25 AM Ignore lcleveland Report Abuse there will always be something to distract you
wildddkattt80 Champion Author Phoenix Posts:2,143 Points:432,145 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:17:23 AM Ignore wildddkattt80 Report Abuse There are many distractions for a driver.
GingoutMD Champion Author Maryland Posts:3,495 Points:713,305 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:16:04 AM Ignore GingoutMD Report Abuse I disagree with the article that distracting driving is not causing more accidents. Incomplete data produces incomplete answers. If cops cannot get phone records after an accident, they how will they ever prove that they faulty driver was using the phone (texting or talking). Only the minority of people at fault in an accident will ever admit they were distracted by use of their cell phone or other in-car entertainment.
uatide13 Rookie Author Alabama Posts:23 Points:13,490 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:15:58 AM Ignore uatide13 Report Abuse People are still on there phone!?!?!
dgerst Champion Author South Carolina Posts:2,702 Points:555,050 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:15:39 AM Ignore dgerst Report Abuse Auto makers just need to make it easier and safer to operate vehicles while communicating. The radio did not go away and neither will two way communication.
itzagasgasgas1 Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:3,969 Points:1,598,520 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:12:08 AM Ignore itzagasgasgas1 Report Abuse People need to FOCUS on their driving.
carpenter4u Champion Author Virginia Posts:2,436 Points:615,645 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:09:19 AM Ignore carpenter4u Report Abuse politicians are still hard of hearing today
badbonita Champion Author Syracuse Posts:6,219 Points:1,352,735 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:07:21 AM Ignore badbonita Report Abuse Unless you're being told some great emotional bit of information - a death, birth, accident, dumped, fired, etc - while on the phone, speaking with a hands-free set is no different IMO than talking to a passenger in the car with you. Reading or sending a text - nope, there is no reason to my mind that reading such MUST be done the moment that it arrives. Unfortunately, there are many people that won't talk to each other but have to have entire conversations via text. Sorry, I was brought up that conversations involved some personal interaction, even phones have your own voice, but texting is sterile and nearly anonymous. As for texting while driving, ban it all you want but until the laws are rigorously enforced as well as the penalties, talking (or texting) about it is going to do nothing.
72_Monte Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:7,765 Points:1,995,485 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:01:03 AM Ignore 72_Monte Report Abuse Really, a car should just get us from point A to point B safely. The rest is all distraction.
jrschl Champion Author Louisville Posts:2,962 Points:680,090 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:58:42 AM Ignore jrschl Report Abuse People are inconciderate today. That goes for both sides of the aisle. Speeding through school zones, residential & park settings, tailgating, you name it. Texting...yes may be more dangerouse, but this is a societal issue and not just a cellphone issue. Until the current laws are enforced there is no point in passing new ones.
pnd1 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:5,201 Points:1,065,110 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:56:20 AM Ignore pnd1 Report Abuse It won't be long before it is the next big thing to be focused for ban.
grandpadon28110 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:4,711 Points:1,141,335 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:52:01 AM Ignore grandpadon28110 Report Abuse Well.
dave27johnson Champion Author Chicago Posts:1,787 Points:407,575 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:44:14 AM Ignore dave27johnson Report Abuse Phones demand more attention than radios. A radio can be changed by feel - without looking away from the road. Typing text is a big hazard.
2khawk Champion Author Iowa Posts:5,254 Points:927,050 Joined:Oct 2010	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:41:52 AM Ignore 2khawk Report Abuse I can't stand it when somebody is tailgating me and I look in my nirror and they are on their phone at the same time.
Xavier80 Champion Author Victoria Posts:1,773 Points:377,465 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:41:50 AM Ignore Xavier80 Report Abuse ok