Texting drivers...

[Gail]

What is the answer to texting while driving, which can lead to some dangerous situations?

Should policemen have the right to look at a person's phone to determine if the driver had been texting just before being pulled over?

[Outta Here]

Maybe we should be required to enter a captcha code after every text if it is detectected that the smartphone is moving at a pace greater than 15 mph. 

[Gerr]

Folly to text while driving.  Too many lives snuffed out already.  Yes, the cop should be allowed by law to search the driver's phone because texting drivers are endangering others as well.

[Gail]

But... Do you agree to handing over your information that readily? Policemen need a warrant to be allowed to enter a person's home. But most of our phones have at least some private information on them that we would rather keep that way.

At what point does the suspicion of a crime override a person's right to privacy?

[Robert]

If the car is moving simply have an electronic device built into the car that blocks the cell phone signal. 

[Robert]

BTW,  distracted drivers is the number one reason for auto crashes.  

Distraction is primarily because of texting & rubbernecking. Other contributors are driver fatigue, preoccupation with passengers, adjusting the radio, cassette or CD player and reading the newspaper, books, maps or other documents.

[Liz]

I'm not sure if checking the phone is really a good idea. I don't text and drive nor do I talk on the phone and drive, however, my daughter will answer the phone if it rings and she will text back should I get a text. So if I'm in an accident and they check my phone it will look like I was texting or chatting when it was my daughter using my phone in the backseat.

I like Robert's idea though of having a device that blocks the signal.

[Gail]

Me, too- this would mean that the driver would need to exit the vehicle to use it. Or shut the motor off. In the latter case one could still use the phone while inside the car in case of emergency.

[LifeHiscost]

I recall it being illegal, when I was in the military service, to have any alcoholic beverages at all in the vehicle. That was back when the safety of others was more important than the right of one to presume freedom of choice to act foolishly.

God is Love!~Jesus saves!

[Robert]

10 minutes ago, Gail said:

Me, too- this would mean that the driver would need to exit the vehicle to use it. Or shut the motor off...

The motor could be running, just as long as the vehicle is not moving. The electronic device would need to see zero RPM coming from a speed sensor.  So, as long as you aren't moving the device will not block the cellphone's signal.

The problem is the cellphone lobbyists wouldn't like the idea...

[Gail]

*nods*

[Tom Wetmore]

Blocking the cellphone signal by an device external to the phone would also block phone calls for all car occupants and pretty much all other data, including for maps and other apps, not just text messages. Basically the phone would be disable for most practical purpose, like airplane mode.  As also noted it would also block passenger use of their phones. Also increasingly common is live streaming music or radio or other entertainment which requires cell signal if their isn't any wifi.  (I personally listen to my favorite local radio stations while on long distance road trips and have used my phone to listen to livestream church services while driving on Sabbath.)

My old GPS had a setting that I couldn't do any inputing of info for the GPS if the car was in motion.  If I was stopped I could then program it to find an address or change a setting or whatever.  But once I was moving I could not.  That would be easy to include in operating systems of phones for selected apps that are the most serious distractions, like texting without completely disabling the phone entirely, like blocking the cellphone signal. It could be overridden manually so that a passenger could still use their phone.  

[Bravus]

A motorbike cop can easily see someone texting in the car and stop and fine them. I know because when I'm on the bike I see it all the time. I usually don't notice the texting first, it's the dangerous drifting around on the road, inappropriate speed for the conditions (in either direction), lack of awareness of surroundings and so on. Then - leaving plenty of space - I get by and away, and sure enough they are usually on some sort of device. 

This is far more of an issue in terms of safety than low-range speeding, but speed cameras are a more reliable source of easy revenue, so that gets policed more. If police were really serious about cutting the road toll they'd be putting a lot more resources into this issue.

I'm not sure whether access to checking phones is needed, since as I say, it's easy to detect directly.

[Aliensanctuary]

Since it's still legal, my wife wears a Bluetooth earpiece while traveling, and takes the occasional call just by pushing a button on the earpiece. If my phone rings while I'm driving, the caller can leave a voicemail if they so choose, or I will pull over if it's an important call. Most cell phone calls are not worth dying for, or injuring or killing someone else. 

There should be huge fines for distracted driving, just like DWI fines, including suspension of driver's licences for first time offenses. Most of us likely don't want to be killed by some idiots drifting out of their lanes while looking at their phones or other stuff.