Wow, nobody here has ever used a cell phone while driving to get directions somewhere, verify an address, or call an appointment to say you were running late? Its not hard to talk and drive. Did anyone ever think that maybe these dumazzes are just crappy drivers period?

 

Google "misdemeanor death by vehicle" -- interesting reading(!)

 

talking on a cell phone is bad but at least your eyes can be on the road. texting is dumb you have to look at the phone to type. you have to look at the phone to read the incoming text. so you are driving to endager and should be charged with vehicular homeaside in my opion. i am not a lawyer but this seems common sense to me.

 

As much as people like to complain and whine about lawyers and lawsuits, this is one of the reasons the civil/tort system exists. Criminal law doesn't always provide for a suitable penalty, especially for stupidity, and it rarely to never compensates the victims of crime for the loss. In this case, the guy has already admitted guilt to a traffic offense that makes him per se negligent when he gets sued, so the only part left to decide in court is how much he has to pay. Personally, if it was a member of my family, I'd make it my mission to take his home, car, paycheck, etc., until I collected every penny or he died (then I'd try to collect more from his estate).

 

What I've seen, more often, is that the people who think they can drive fine while talking on a cell phone are just such dumazzes they aren't even aware of how bad they are driving. Swerving all over the road, inconsistent speed, etc., then they swear they knew everything that was going on and were driving fine.

 

I was hit head on by a drunk and survived 30+ years ago. All you guys who believe these people should not do jail time would definitely change your opinion if you got run down and the idiot gets out of his car and is slurring and can't stand up. Trust me.

My opinion
First DUI: Driving suspension 5 years $10,000 fine. 90 days jail
Second DUI: 20 year suspension $50,000 fine. 1 year in jail.
Third DUI: Life driving suspension. Forfeit vehicle. 5 years in jail.

 

I think there is something to what you're saying about them being crappy drivers- or just crappy people. There are a lot of folks who can drive and talk on their phone simultaneously, and not cause an accident. I would submit that many of us are amongst those people. Riding a motorcycle requires a little more coordination and ability, does it not? It requires a higher consciousness, if you will. You kind of need to have the ability to not only see what everyone around you is doing, but what they might do. Most drivers don't operate at that level, right? That's why distraction is more of a problem for them, in my estimation. Put a biker behind the wheel, hand him a cell phone, and he is still going to drive cautiously. Do the same with a bunch of these fools, and they go from barely acceptable as drivers, to true dangers on 4 wheels. Is it hypocritical to say that I can talk on a cell phone and still drive, and that others cannot? Maybe- but 90% of my road time is on 2 wheels, and I can't remember the last time I did talk on the cell while driving.

 

The problems with the laws and penalties are that the criminals don't care. How many Cops episodes are there where the driver tries to run because they don't have a license? How many times is that unlicensed driver behind the wheel of a vehicle they borrowed ( or stole)

Until the laws and penalties are changed the criminals won't change their behavior.

 

Yes. Lora Hunt went to jail for killing Anita Zaffke.

 

Pointless, unless you outlaw phone use by any occupant of a moving vehicle.