August 18, 2009

Driving While Texting part II

A CPUC series -
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3 comments:

  1. Charles BoyceAugust 18, 2009 at 3:27 AM

    Texting While Driving More Dangerous than Talking on Cell Phone While Driving

    by RChong August 13, 2009 09:08
    Recently, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute released a study showing that when drivers of heavy trucks texted, their chance of being involved in an accident was 23 times greater than when not texting. Making a call by holding a cell phone, by comparison, increased the accident risk about six times. The researchers told the Associated Press the hazards of texting could be applied to all drivers, not just truckers. Senator Charles Schumer of New York introduced legislation to bring consistency to state laws by banning all texting or e-mailing while operating a moving vehicle. Enforcement is to withhold a portion of annual federal highway funding from states that refuse.

    Text messaging is banned for all drivers in 17 states and the District of Columbia. Bans on driving while talking on a hand-held cellular phone are in place in seven states (California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Utah, and Washington) and D.C. California already has a law that prohibits holding a cell phone or texting while driving.

    This is very sobering information, and I hope that everyone takes these studies seriously as to their personal choices in their lives. Multi tasking while driving is a bad idea, whether it is holding a cellphone, texting, eating, reading a newspaper, or applying makeup. It is very tempting for busy people to try and make more of time spent driving, but the dangers are very real.

    There have been a number of fatal crashes involving texting, including a train crash last year in California in which 25 people were killed and 135 injured. The train operator was allegedly texting at the time of the accident. Two years ago, five teenage girls were killed in a fiery head-on collision in New York. Law enforcement said text messaging was to blame.

    I am bringing attention to this important public safety issue now. I ask you to raise this issue with your family and friends, so we understand the risks and remember that safe driving involves your full attention.

    I also want to thank Charles Boyce, the talented artist who produces the Compu-Toon comic strip, who has been producing some comics to bring this important issue to light in a humorous way.

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  2. Charles BoyceAugust 18, 2009 at 3:30 AM

    CPUC - California Public Utility Commission

    ReplyDelete
  3. #DongsAugust 18, 2009 at 11:30 PM

    Ok Charles, we get it. Texting while driving is unsafe.

    ReplyDelete

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