Summit on Distracted Driving to convene

[Refugee 7]

WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Tuesday he will convene a summit of experts to figure out what to do about driver cell phone use and texting, practices that studies — and a growing number of accidents — show can be deadly.

LaHood said he intends to gather senior transportation officials, safety advocates, law enforcement representatives, members of Congress and academics who study distracted driving for the summit next month in Washington.

"The public is sick and tired of people being distracted and causing accidents," LaHood told a news conference. "We all know texting while driving is dangerous and we are going to do something about it so that responsible drivers don't have to worry about it when they or a loved one get on the road."

If it were up to him, he would ban texting while driving, LaHood said.

However, past safety initiatives like seat belts have shown that a simple ban often isn't enough to get drivers to change their habits unless it's accompanied by education and enforcement, he said.

LaHood said he expects the summit to produce several recommendations for specific actions to address the problem.

He pointed to several fatal incidents involving texting, including Alyssa Burns, a 17-year-old Eureka, Ill., high school student killed in June when she drove off the road while sending a message to friends.

The problem crosses over into other modes of transportation: A train crashed last year in California killing 25 people — including the train operator, who was texting at the time of the accident — and injuring 135.

In a study released last week, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that when drivers of heavy trucks texted, their collision risk was 23 times greater than when not texting. Dialing a cell phone and using or reaching for an electronic device increased risk of collision about six times in cars and trucks.

The Virginia Tech researchers said the risks of texting generally applied to all drivers, not just truckers.

A separate report by Car and Driver magazine found that texting and driving is more dangerous than drunken driving.

The Governors Highway Safety Association, which represents state highway safety agencies, has said it does not doubt the dangers of texting and driving but does not support a ban because it would be difficult to enforce.

"There are a variety of challenges with distracted driving, and we commend the secretary for leading the effort to address this important highway safety issue," Barbara Harsha, the safety association's executive director, said in a statement.

The association "is particularly interested in strategies for enforcing texting and cell phone bans as well as technological applications that would limit or eliminate distractions," she said.

Texting has grown from nearly 10 billion messages a month in December 2005 to more than 110 billion in December 2008, according to CTIA, the cellular phone industry's trade group.

Fourteen states and the District of Columbia have passed laws making texting while driving illegal. A group of Democratic members of Congress introduced legislation last week that would require states to ban texting or e-mailing while operating a moving vehicle or lose 25 percent of their annual federal highway funding. It would be patterned after Congress' requirement that states adopt a national drunken driving ban.

On the Net:

• http://www.dot.gov
  

[LizzieB 0]

"The Governors Highway Safety Association, which represents state highway safety agencies, has said it does not doubt the dangers of texting and driving but does not support a ban because it would be difficult to enforce."

Oh yeah, that's a great reason not to support a ban. If it stops one person from being killed, isn't it worth it? What harm will come from a ban, even in 99% of the people ignore it?

I really can't understand why anyone would drive and talk on the cell phone, let alone drive and text.

[angelic_22 0]

Im sorry - I was texting..... What were you saying again?

[Refugee 7]

Two words people.....COMMON SENSE!

[Echosoftom 3]

^ Thank you!

[agirl 0]

That says it all. Common sense! The more cars on the road the more idiots. All the bans in the world are not going to change it. Even though texting and talking on cells are banned here in Ca, I still see just as many people yakking away.

[normandi 21]

Here is my 3¢. Before we get all wrapped up in talking and texting on cell phones please let us discuss the REAL problem here.

It is entirely too easy to obtain a drivers license, period. I think it should be VERY VERY hard. ‘Cuz I am sorry, you do not have the right to drive on roads, you should be granted the revocable privilege of doing so only after displaying the proper skills meeting the various requirements to do so.

Also I believe that instead of a “drivers license” one should have to obtain “Vehicle Operators” licenses for the various level and class of vehicle that you intend to operate. . And before you can move up to the next level of vehicle operation class you must demonstrate that you have NOT caused accidents with your driving behavior or lack of skills. So you start off on with a scooter, then graduate to a motorbike, then after that you can finally apply for a Compact Car license with no access to the freeway, then after a period of time you can begin driving on the freeway and graduate all the way up to a Commercial Driving License if you so choose. And dare I say one should not be able to get more than a scooter or motorbike license until one is 18.

Do THIS and THEN make phoning or texting while in motion in a vehicle COMPLETELY ILLEGAL and then we can end this silliness.

[Refugee 7]

Normandi, do you want to rule the DMV with me??? :003:

[normandi 21]

^ YES! ha ha ha.... what is the starting pay?! :003:

[nurktwin 2,143]

^haha, no pay, no benefits, that's why we can't get anyone back to work!

[Refugee 7]

^ YES! ha ha ha.... what is the starting pay?! :003:

Like everyone else in those positions, whatever we want it to be, LOL!

[Echosoftom 3]

^ OMG! Normandi, do not encourage her, lol.

And by the way, I'm LMAO about your DMV resolutions because whenever my Dad saw someone doing something stupid while driving he would say, "They need to pull em' over, take away their keys and give them a bicycle", LOL!

[KansasPettyFan 1]

^ HAHA!

I vote for Ref and Normandi for the DMV! lol

Just today on the interstate, here comes a guy over the line with a %*&! phone in his hand looking down at it. It's downright frightening out there.

[LizzieB 0]

Two words people.....COMMON SENSE!

I saw a great quote today:

"There is nothing more uncommon than common sense." -Frank Lloyd Wright

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