From Temple-News.com:
Sitting in the driver’s seat with a cell phone is a cause that lacks an advocacy group’s effective voice.
In 1980, Mothers Against Drunk Driving began its quest to pressure public officials to begin passing laws aimed at preventing alcohol-related vehicular homicide in the United States, an overall prevalent issue, especially for Americans aged 17 to 24.
In 2009, we shouldn’t wait for the creation of a nonprofit organization to rally behind legislation to stop young adults from text messaging while driving, which is quickly becoming our generation’s equivalent to the 1980s’ drunk driving battle.
In May 1980, California-native Candy Lightner, founder of MADD, was informed at work that a drunk driver killed her 13-year-old daughter, Cari, in a hit-and-run while she was walking to a carnival. Cari Lightner was knocked out of her shoes and launched 125 feet in the air from where she was hit.
In July 2007, Fairport, N.Y.-resident Bailey Goodman, 17, was driving herself and four friends to a family vacation home. The SUV Goodman was driving swerved into oncoming traffic, hit a tractor-trailer and burst into flames. The New York County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Goodman sent and received a text message immediately before a 911 call reporting the crash was made. All five occupants died upon impact.
Goodman’s ability to operate the vehicle was jeopardized because her eyes were focused on her cell phone, not on the road. The driver whose car hit Cari Lightner was so intoxicated his response time was delayed, which led to the lack of control of his senses and vehicle. The causes may be different, but in both cases, someone died because of preventable hindrances.
According to a July 2009 study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, the risk of a crash or near-crash event while text messaging is 23.2 times as high as non-distracted driving. The study also proved text messaging has “the longest duration of eyes off road time (4.6 seconds over a 6 second interval),” comparing it to a “driver traveling the length of a football field at 55 mph without looking at the roadway.”
“I think [texting and driving] is becoming a bigger problem than drinking and driving,” Rosa Samuels, a sophomore mathematics major said. “More people have cell phones. There’s easier access to plans and services. And you have a better chance of getting hurt by someone texting than drinking because everyone has a cell phone, and not everyone on the road is drunk.”
So far, the Governors Highway Safety Association has reported only 18 states and the District of Columbia now ban text messaging for all drivers, while nine states prohibit text messaging by beginning drivers. And only Texas bans school bus drivers from texting while driving.
Twenty-nine years since a drunk driver killed Cari Lightner, 40 states and the District of Columbia allow highly publicized, highly visible and frequent sobriety checkpoints that MADD research has shown reduces alcohol-related crashes and fatalities by an average of 20 percent.
Eighteen states acknowledge that text messaging while driving can lead to dire consequences. The rest should realize we are seeing history repeat itself, and we need to act fast to stop another deadly trend.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Orange County motorist accused of texting while driving faces trial for killing pedestrian
From LA Times:
A Costa Mesa motorist was ordered to stand trial for allegedly killing a pedestrian minutes after he was texting on his cellphone in the car.
An Orange County judge on Monday rejected a defense request to reduce the charges. The man's attorney argued that there is no evidence he was texting at the time of the crash, but prosecutors say his use of the phone and other factors suggest he was acting negligently and didn't see the pedestrian.
The trial comes amid a growing national debate about the texting while driving, which the state outlawed last year. If convicted of vehicular manslaughter, he faces up to nine years in prison.
According to the Daily Pilot, Martin Burt Kuehl, 42, is charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, although prosecutors acknowledge that they have no phone company records to prove that he was texting at the moment of impact.
Martha Ovalle, a Guatemalan immigrant working in Newport Beach as a nanny, died in the Aug. 29, 2008, accident. It took place about 8:30 a.m on Westcliff Drive near Dover Drive in Newport Beach.
More from on the case from the Pilot:
Deputy Dist. Atty. Jason Baez said phone records showed Kuehl text messaging for about 30 minutes before his car struck Ovalle, as she crossed the street in a marked crosswalk.
One witness told police that, just before the collision, the driver behind Kuehl at the intersection had to honk to get him to notice that the light was green, Baez said.
“I’m not saying that I can prove or have to prove that he was texting when he hit the victim,” Baez said. “There’s definitely a bunch of inferences that he wasn’t looking. His phone was found open and [next to] the driver’s seat ... gross negligence is a state of mind. Texting is just one of the things he did wrong here.
“He had put the public at risk long before he ran this person over. The continuing inattention is why this is different than someone looking down for a second or two.”
Kuehl’s attorney, deputy public defender Adam Vining, was looking for Orange County Superior Court Commissioner James Odriozola to reduce the felony vehicular manslaughter charge to a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter with ordinary negligence case.
“The judge specifically found that there is no evidence that Mr. Kuehl was text messaging that [morning],” Vining said. “He stated to police that the sun was in his eyes.”
A Costa Mesa motorist was ordered to stand trial for allegedly killing a pedestrian minutes after he was texting on his cellphone in the car.
An Orange County judge on Monday rejected a defense request to reduce the charges. The man's attorney argued that there is no evidence he was texting at the time of the crash, but prosecutors say his use of the phone and other factors suggest he was acting negligently and didn't see the pedestrian.
The trial comes amid a growing national debate about the texting while driving, which the state outlawed last year. If convicted of vehicular manslaughter, he faces up to nine years in prison.
According to the Daily Pilot, Martin Burt Kuehl, 42, is charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, although prosecutors acknowledge that they have no phone company records to prove that he was texting at the moment of impact.
Martha Ovalle, a Guatemalan immigrant working in Newport Beach as a nanny, died in the Aug. 29, 2008, accident. It took place about 8:30 a.m on Westcliff Drive near Dover Drive in Newport Beach.
More from on the case from the Pilot:
Deputy Dist. Atty. Jason Baez said phone records showed Kuehl text messaging for about 30 minutes before his car struck Ovalle, as she crossed the street in a marked crosswalk.
One witness told police that, just before the collision, the driver behind Kuehl at the intersection had to honk to get him to notice that the light was green, Baez said.
“I’m not saying that I can prove or have to prove that he was texting when he hit the victim,” Baez said. “There’s definitely a bunch of inferences that he wasn’t looking. His phone was found open and [next to] the driver’s seat ... gross negligence is a state of mind. Texting is just one of the things he did wrong here.
“He had put the public at risk long before he ran this person over. The continuing inattention is why this is different than someone looking down for a second or two.”
Kuehl’s attorney, deputy public defender Adam Vining, was looking for Orange County Superior Court Commissioner James Odriozola to reduce the felony vehicular manslaughter charge to a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter with ordinary negligence case.
“The judge specifically found that there is no evidence that Mr. Kuehl was text messaging that [morning],” Vining said. “He stated to police that the sun was in his eyes.”
Cell Phone Use Center of Homicide Trial
From MyFoxHouston.com:
HOUSTON - Testimony has begun in the trial of a young woman who has been charged in the death of a man who was killed in a March 2008 vehicle accident. The victim's parents say that the woman's cell phone use contributed to the crash.
Jeri Montgomery, 24, has been charged with criminally negligent homicide in the death of 25-year-old Chance Wilcox. The accident took place on Interstate 45, the North Freeway, near FM 2920 when Montgomery's car hit the truck that Wilcox was in and caused it to roll several times, according to the indictment against her.
Wilcox was thrown from the truck and killed.
The indictment against Montgomery says she made an unsafe lane change and failed to be aware of other vehicles on the road. Wilcox's relatives say that investigators told them that Montgomery was trying to balance her steering wheel and cell phone, but Harris County Assistant District Attorney Brent Mayr has neither confirmed nor denied that cell phone use was a factor in the accident.
John Choate, Montgomery's defense attorney said in a statement that "(t)here were no drugs, no alcohol. It was just a wreck. I've heard they'll bring evidence that she was on the phone, but she was not on the phone."
If convicted, Montgomery faces between two and ten years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
HOUSTON - Testimony has begun in the trial of a young woman who has been charged in the death of a man who was killed in a March 2008 vehicle accident. The victim's parents say that the woman's cell phone use contributed to the crash.
Jeri Montgomery, 24, has been charged with criminally negligent homicide in the death of 25-year-old Chance Wilcox. The accident took place on Interstate 45, the North Freeway, near FM 2920 when Montgomery's car hit the truck that Wilcox was in and caused it to roll several times, according to the indictment against her.
Wilcox was thrown from the truck and killed.
The indictment against Montgomery says she made an unsafe lane change and failed to be aware of other vehicles on the road. Wilcox's relatives say that investigators told them that Montgomery was trying to balance her steering wheel and cell phone, but Harris County Assistant District Attorney Brent Mayr has neither confirmed nor denied that cell phone use was a factor in the accident.
John Choate, Montgomery's defense attorney said in a statement that "(t)here were no drugs, no alcohol. It was just a wreck. I've heard they'll bring evidence that she was on the phone, but she was not on the phone."
If convicted, Montgomery faces between two and ten years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Cell phone use, alcohol may have played role in fatal weekend crash
From TheDay.com:
Phyllis Porter, a well-known Norwich businesswoman and civic leader, was on her way home from her weekly Sunday brunch with friends when a car crossed into her lane on Route 32 and ended her life.
Wednesday, as Porter's family members recalled a kind woman with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, the New York woman who is accused of causing the fatal crash after leaving Mohegan Sun awaits her arraignment, scheduled for next month.
Lisette Oblitas-Cruz, 28, was charged with using a cell phone while driving, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and evading responsibility. Norwich Supervisory Assistant State's Attorney Thomas Griffin would not say if she would face additional charges since Porter died from her injuries.
Oblitas-Cruz had just left Mohegan Sun and was driving her Nissan Xterra south on Route 32 in Montville at about 1:45 p.m. Sunday, police said.
State police said troopers, as part of their investigation, conduct a background check on a person's whereabouts during the 24 hours leading up to the crash. However, state police would not elaborate beyond that, citing the ongoing investigation.
As she approached the Route 2A connector, she crashed into the back of a Toyota Sienna. The crash forced the Toyota into the northbound side of the roadway, where it collided with a Hyundai Elantra driven by Porter, 77, of Norwich. Porter's family said she was likely heading home from her weekly Sunday brunch at Ed's Country Kitchen in Montville.
Porter was taken to The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, then air-lifted to Hartford Hospital, where she died as a result of her injuries.
The driver and passenger of the Toyota were also taken to Backus for treatment of possible injuries, according to an accident summary.
Police said all three cars sustained heavy damage. The Toyota and the Hyundai were totalled, police said.
Porter had owned and operated the former Porter's Florists, now Mohegan Flowers & Gifts, for 50 years.
She was also a member of the Montville Historical Society and Chamber of Commerce, among many other civic groups, her family said.
Her family said one of her proudest moments was earning her bachelor's degree from the University of Rhode Island when she was 50.
”She had a love of learning,” said her daughter, Shirley Migliaccio, of Stratford. “She never ever stopped learning and looking for new interests. She was an artist and a musician … she played the violin, viola and piano. Her artistic creativity found its place in the flower shop.”
Migliaccio said her mother wasn't a vindictive person and didn't raise her children to be that way. But, she said, she did want to see Oblitas-Cruz prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law to bring attention to the consequences of drunken driving.
”There has to be some kind of legal action to get this person off of the road,” she said.
Migliaccio added that, because of its location, her mother witnessed many crashes in front of her flower shop and would go outside to help when she could.
”She had a beautiful spirit and reached out to others her whole life,” she said.
Phyllis Porter, a well-known Norwich businesswoman and civic leader, was on her way home from her weekly Sunday brunch with friends when a car crossed into her lane on Route 32 and ended her life.
Wednesday, as Porter's family members recalled a kind woman with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, the New York woman who is accused of causing the fatal crash after leaving Mohegan Sun awaits her arraignment, scheduled for next month.
Lisette Oblitas-Cruz, 28, was charged with using a cell phone while driving, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and evading responsibility. Norwich Supervisory Assistant State's Attorney Thomas Griffin would not say if she would face additional charges since Porter died from her injuries.
Oblitas-Cruz had just left Mohegan Sun and was driving her Nissan Xterra south on Route 32 in Montville at about 1:45 p.m. Sunday, police said.
State police said troopers, as part of their investigation, conduct a background check on a person's whereabouts during the 24 hours leading up to the crash. However, state police would not elaborate beyond that, citing the ongoing investigation.
As she approached the Route 2A connector, she crashed into the back of a Toyota Sienna. The crash forced the Toyota into the northbound side of the roadway, where it collided with a Hyundai Elantra driven by Porter, 77, of Norwich. Porter's family said she was likely heading home from her weekly Sunday brunch at Ed's Country Kitchen in Montville.
Porter was taken to The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, then air-lifted to Hartford Hospital, where she died as a result of her injuries.
The driver and passenger of the Toyota were also taken to Backus for treatment of possible injuries, according to an accident summary.
Police said all three cars sustained heavy damage. The Toyota and the Hyundai were totalled, police said.
Porter had owned and operated the former Porter's Florists, now Mohegan Flowers & Gifts, for 50 years.
She was also a member of the Montville Historical Society and Chamber of Commerce, among many other civic groups, her family said.
Her family said one of her proudest moments was earning her bachelor's degree from the University of Rhode Island when she was 50.
”She had a love of learning,” said her daughter, Shirley Migliaccio, of Stratford. “She never ever stopped learning and looking for new interests. She was an artist and a musician … she played the violin, viola and piano. Her artistic creativity found its place in the flower shop.”
Migliaccio said her mother wasn't a vindictive person and didn't raise her children to be that way. But, she said, she did want to see Oblitas-Cruz prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law to bring attention to the consequences of drunken driving.
”There has to be some kind of legal action to get this person off of the road,” she said.
Migliaccio added that, because of its location, her mother witnessed many crashes in front of her flower shop and would go outside to help when she could.
”She had a beautiful spirit and reached out to others her whole life,” she said.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Police: Student was texting at time of fatal crash
From Boston Herald:
SHIRLEY — Police say an 18-year-old college student who died last weekend after her car sideswiped a tree was sending and receiving text messages and speeding at the time of the crash.
Cassandra Poulin, a student at Quinsigamond Community College from Clinton, died at about 11 p.m. Sunday after her car sideswiped a tree in Shirley.
Shirley’s chief said in a statement that a state police accident reconstruction team recovered information from the car’s computer system indicating it was traveling above the 20 mile-per-hour speed limit.
Police found phone records indicating that cell phone text messages were received and sent around the time of the crash. Alcohol and drugs do not appear to be factors. Poulin was alone in the car.
SHIRLEY — Police say an 18-year-old college student who died last weekend after her car sideswiped a tree was sending and receiving text messages and speeding at the time of the crash.
Cassandra Poulin, a student at Quinsigamond Community College from Clinton, died at about 11 p.m. Sunday after her car sideswiped a tree in Shirley.
Shirley’s chief said in a statement that a state police accident reconstruction team recovered information from the car’s computer system indicating it was traveling above the 20 mile-per-hour speed limit.
Police found phone records indicating that cell phone text messages were received and sent around the time of the crash. Alcohol and drugs do not appear to be factors. Poulin was alone in the car.
Cell phone use blamed for Granger crash
From Yakima Herald:
GRANGER, Wash. -- A cell phone distracted a Mabton woman driving east on State Route 22 on Friday night, causing her vehicle to veer off the road in a rollover and sending her to Toppenish Community Hospital, according to Washington State Patrol.
Rita Valdez, 19, was distracted by her cell phone and lost control of the car about four miles southwest of Granger. The 1997 Chevrolet Blazer she was driving was destroyed.
Hospital officials said Valdez was not admitted to the hospital as a patient and couldn't immediately elaborate on her injuries.
Valdez was wearing a seat belt. Police said neither drugs nor alcohol were a factor in the accident.
GRANGER, Wash. -- A cell phone distracted a Mabton woman driving east on State Route 22 on Friday night, causing her vehicle to veer off the road in a rollover and sending her to Toppenish Community Hospital, according to Washington State Patrol.
Rita Valdez, 19, was distracted by her cell phone and lost control of the car about four miles southwest of Granger. The 1997 Chevrolet Blazer she was driving was destroyed.
Hospital officials said Valdez was not admitted to the hospital as a patient and couldn't immediately elaborate on her injuries.
Valdez was wearing a seat belt. Police said neither drugs nor alcohol were a factor in the accident.
Widow claims driver was talking on cell phone when fatal accident happened
From St. Clair Record:
By Kelly Holleran
The wife of a recently deceased man has filed suit against the driver who she blames for causing the accident that killed her husband after she says the driver ran a stop sign while talking on a cell phone.
Frances A. Therion claims her recently deceased husband, Joseph W. Therion, was driving north on Illinois State Route 60 in a 2004 Ford Freestar in Helvetia Township on Dec. 24 when defendant Colt J. Witschie, who was driving a 1992 Cadillac STS east on Ellis Road, failed to stop at a stop sign and collided with Joseph W. Therion.
Because of the collision, Joseph W. Therion sustained severe injuries, which required his spleen be removed and which left him in a coma. Joseph W. Therion eventually died from his injuries, according to the complaint filed Sept. 18 in Madison County Circuit Court.
At the time of the collision, Witschie was driving Stacie McCoy's Cadillac, which she allowed him to borrow, the suit states.
Before the collision, Witschie negligently drove while talking on a cell phone, failed to stop at a stop sign, failed to stop the Cadillac before causing a collision, failed to sound the horn on the Cadillac to give warning of his approach and failed to keep a proper lookout, the complaint says. In addition, Frances A. Therion blames Witschie for driving too fast.
McCoy, who is also named as a defendant, was guilty of negligence by allowing Wischie to borrow her vehicle when she knew he was not able to safely operate it, according to the complaint.
In addition to Witschie and McCoy, Frances A. Therion names State Farm International Services, Inc., and Insurance Auto Auctions as defendants.
State Farm had insured Joseph W. Therion's Ford at the time of the collision, which was totaled in the accident. On Feb. 23, State Farm paid off the balance the Therions owed on the Ford, making State Farm the owner of the vehicle, the suit states.
On March 19, State Farm turned the vehicle over to Insurance Auto Auctions in hopes of selling the Ford at auction, the complaint says.
But Frances Therion is asking that State Farm and Insurance Auto Auctions be prohibited from selling the vehicle because she says a potential product liability claim of action may arise against Ford.
"Allowing Defendant State Farm to sell the 2004 Ford Freestar would prejudice Plaintiff in a potential cause of action against Ford Motor Co., because Plaintiff would not be able to examine the vehicle for any defects if it is sold [to] another party at auction," the suit states.
In the eight-count suit, Frances A. Therion is seeking a judgment of more than $300,000, plus costs and other relief the court deems just. She is also asking the court to order State Farm and Insurance Auto Auction not to sell the car until her potential claim against Ford is resolved.
She will be represented by Michael R. Bilbrey and James R. Stever of The Law Offices of Michael R. Bilbrey in Edwardsville.
By Kelly Holleran
The wife of a recently deceased man has filed suit against the driver who she blames for causing the accident that killed her husband after she says the driver ran a stop sign while talking on a cell phone.
Frances A. Therion claims her recently deceased husband, Joseph W. Therion, was driving north on Illinois State Route 60 in a 2004 Ford Freestar in Helvetia Township on Dec. 24 when defendant Colt J. Witschie, who was driving a 1992 Cadillac STS east on Ellis Road, failed to stop at a stop sign and collided with Joseph W. Therion.
Because of the collision, Joseph W. Therion sustained severe injuries, which required his spleen be removed and which left him in a coma. Joseph W. Therion eventually died from his injuries, according to the complaint filed Sept. 18 in Madison County Circuit Court.
At the time of the collision, Witschie was driving Stacie McCoy's Cadillac, which she allowed him to borrow, the suit states.
Before the collision, Witschie negligently drove while talking on a cell phone, failed to stop at a stop sign, failed to stop the Cadillac before causing a collision, failed to sound the horn on the Cadillac to give warning of his approach and failed to keep a proper lookout, the complaint says. In addition, Frances A. Therion blames Witschie for driving too fast.
McCoy, who is also named as a defendant, was guilty of negligence by allowing Wischie to borrow her vehicle when she knew he was not able to safely operate it, according to the complaint.
In addition to Witschie and McCoy, Frances A. Therion names State Farm International Services, Inc., and Insurance Auto Auctions as defendants.
State Farm had insured Joseph W. Therion's Ford at the time of the collision, which was totaled in the accident. On Feb. 23, State Farm paid off the balance the Therions owed on the Ford, making State Farm the owner of the vehicle, the suit states.
On March 19, State Farm turned the vehicle over to Insurance Auto Auctions in hopes of selling the Ford at auction, the complaint says.
But Frances Therion is asking that State Farm and Insurance Auto Auctions be prohibited from selling the vehicle because she says a potential product liability claim of action may arise against Ford.
"Allowing Defendant State Farm to sell the 2004 Ford Freestar would prejudice Plaintiff in a potential cause of action against Ford Motor Co., because Plaintiff would not be able to examine the vehicle for any defects if it is sold [to] another party at auction," the suit states.
In the eight-count suit, Frances A. Therion is seeking a judgment of more than $300,000, plus costs and other relief the court deems just. She is also asking the court to order State Farm and Insurance Auto Auction not to sell the car until her potential claim against Ford is resolved.
She will be represented by Michael R. Bilbrey and James R. Stever of The Law Offices of Michael R. Bilbrey in Edwardsville.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Driver drops phone, crashes car
RED OAK – A dropped cell phone caused a Red Oak driver to run off the road Friday morning.
According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office report, a 1978 Ford Thunderbird belonging to Ronald Alan Dolph, 23, of Red Oak was found in the ditch near the intersection of 200th Street and Ginkgo Avenue at 5:08 a.m. The vehicle was unoccupied.
Upon further investigation, deputies learned that that Dolph was traveling northbound on Ginkgo Avenue. Reports stated that Dolph dropped his cell phone and attempted to retrieve it. He ran off the end of the intersection of 200th Street and Ginkgo, struck a sign, went airborne for a short distance and landed in the ditch, where he skidded about 20-feet into a bean field.
Dolph was transported by private vehicle to Montgomery County Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries suffered in the crash.
The vehicle sustained roughly $3,000 in damage.
According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office report, a 1978 Ford Thunderbird belonging to Ronald Alan Dolph, 23, of Red Oak was found in the ditch near the intersection of 200th Street and Ginkgo Avenue at 5:08 a.m. The vehicle was unoccupied.
Upon further investigation, deputies learned that that Dolph was traveling northbound on Ginkgo Avenue. Reports stated that Dolph dropped his cell phone and attempted to retrieve it. He ran off the end of the intersection of 200th Street and Ginkgo, struck a sign, went airborne for a short distance and landed in the ditch, where he skidded about 20-feet into a bean field.
Dolph was transported by private vehicle to Montgomery County Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries suffered in the crash.
The vehicle sustained roughly $3,000 in damage.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Phone use alleged in fatal crash
LDNews.com:
A North Londonderry Township woman has been charged with hom icide by vehicle as a result of a crash in Dauphin County that police say occurred while she was using her cell phone.
The victim of the crash, Carolyn Henry of Harrisburg, was an award- winning reading teacher at Harris burg High School.
Dijor M. Boykin, 20, of 196 Oxford Road, North Londonderry Town ship, was charged Wednesday by Susquehanna Township police in Henry's death. Boykin was also charged with several related traffic violations including reckless driving and speeding.
Boykin was arraigned and posted $5,000 bail, Dauphin County Assis tant District Attorney Fran Chardo said Thursday.
The case represents the first in Dauphin County in which a driver who was using a cell phone faces criminal charges, Chardo said.
"We can't pinpoint at the moment of impact that she was text ing," Chardo said, but the affidavit of probable cause said investigators determined Boykin had been send ing and receiving text messages and was "engaged in active telephone calls at the approximate time of impact."
Even more distressing: "She was cited for the very same condition one week before," Chardo said.
On June 2, three days before the fatal crash, Boykin was "observed driving her car dangerously and erratically while using her cellular tele phone on Interstate 81," the affidavit said.
Trooper Joshua Mack as serted that Boykin was "text ing or doing some other activitywith her cell phone and cut off a marked PSP ve hicle."
Then on June 5, Boykin was traveling west on Union Deposit Road when the fatal crash occurred.
According to the court document, she told police her vehicle wandered over the center median to her left. When she corrected to the right, she noticed another ve hicle on her right and then recorrected to the left, with her vehicle entering the center median. When her ve hicle ran over the center median, she lost control, and her vehicle struck Henry's ve hicle head-on about 9:57 p.m. The location was 3117 Union Deposit Road.
Henry, who was trapped in her vehicle, was freed by emergency personnel and was transported to Hershey Medical Center. Susquehanna Township police were noti fied at 12:32 a.m. June 6 that Henry had died.
In a follow-up interview with state police after cell- phone records were exam ined, Boykin "was unsure whether she was using her cellular telephone at the time of the impact," the affidavit said. "However the defendant admitted that it could have been a contributing factor to the accident."
Chardo said the standard minimum sentencing range for homicide by vehicle is three to 12 months, with a maximum of seven years.
"This is a manslaughter case," Chardo said. "There are consequences. This involved negligent conduct, not an intentional act."
The fatal crash was the second in which Boykin was involved, The Patriot News reported Thursday. In 2006, 18-year-old Maria De Los An geles Rivera Cruz of Steelton was killed when a car driven by Boykin struck a pole on South Cameron Street in Har risburg when Boykin fell asleep at the wheel, the news paper said. No charged were filed in that crash, according to the newspaper.
A North Londonderry Township woman has been charged with hom icide by vehicle as a result of a crash in Dauphin County that police say occurred while she was using her cell phone.
The victim of the crash, Carolyn Henry of Harrisburg, was an award- winning reading teacher at Harris burg High School.
Dijor M. Boykin, 20, of 196 Oxford Road, North Londonderry Town ship, was charged Wednesday by Susquehanna Township police in Henry's death. Boykin was also charged with several related traffic violations including reckless driving and speeding.
Boykin was arraigned and posted $5,000 bail, Dauphin County Assis tant District Attorney Fran Chardo said Thursday.
The case represents the first in Dauphin County in which a driver who was using a cell phone faces criminal charges, Chardo said.
"We can't pinpoint at the moment of impact that she was text ing," Chardo said, but the affidavit of probable cause said investigators determined Boykin had been send ing and receiving text messages and was "engaged in active telephone calls at the approximate time of impact."
Even more distressing: "She was cited for the very same condition one week before," Chardo said.
On June 2, three days before the fatal crash, Boykin was "observed driving her car dangerously and erratically while using her cellular tele phone on Interstate 81," the affidavit said.
Trooper Joshua Mack as serted that Boykin was "text ing or doing some other activitywith her cell phone and cut off a marked PSP ve hicle."
Then on June 5, Boykin was traveling west on Union Deposit Road when the fatal crash occurred.
According to the court document, she told police her vehicle wandered over the center median to her left. When she corrected to the right, she noticed another ve hicle on her right and then recorrected to the left, with her vehicle entering the center median. When her ve hicle ran over the center median, she lost control, and her vehicle struck Henry's ve hicle head-on about 9:57 p.m. The location was 3117 Union Deposit Road.
Henry, who was trapped in her vehicle, was freed by emergency personnel and was transported to Hershey Medical Center. Susquehanna Township police were noti fied at 12:32 a.m. June 6 that Henry had died.
In a follow-up interview with state police after cell- phone records were exam ined, Boykin "was unsure whether she was using her cellular telephone at the time of the impact," the affidavit said. "However the defendant admitted that it could have been a contributing factor to the accident."
Chardo said the standard minimum sentencing range for homicide by vehicle is three to 12 months, with a maximum of seven years.
"This is a manslaughter case," Chardo said. "There are consequences. This involved negligent conduct, not an intentional act."
The fatal crash was the second in which Boykin was involved, The Patriot News reported Thursday. In 2006, 18-year-old Maria De Los An geles Rivera Cruz of Steelton was killed when a car driven by Boykin struck a pole on South Cameron Street in Har risburg when Boykin fell asleep at the wheel, the news paper said. No charged were filed in that crash, according to the newspaper.
Driver on cell phone causes three-car crash
From Petaluma360.com:
A driver talking on a cell phone allegedly contributed to a three-vehicle injury-accident at the intersection of North McDowell Boulevard and Sunrise Parkway on Wednesday.
Cherri Bino, 41, of Petaluma was driving northbound on North McDowell Boulevard at around 9:30 a.m., and was behind two other vehicles that had stopped for a bicyclist who was crossing the street in a marked crosswalk. Bino did not see that the traffic was stopped, and slammed into the back of a vehicle, causing it, in turn, to smash into the vehicle in front of it, said Sgt. Ken Savano of the Petaluma Police Department.
Both drivers in the other vehicles were injured, and were taken to Petaluma Valley Hospital. Witnesses reported that at the time of the collision, Bino had a cell phone up to her ear and was talking on it. She was cited for the cell phone violation being a contributing factor to the collision.
The collision is under investigation.
A driver talking on a cell phone allegedly contributed to a three-vehicle injury-accident at the intersection of North McDowell Boulevard and Sunrise Parkway on Wednesday.
Cherri Bino, 41, of Petaluma was driving northbound on North McDowell Boulevard at around 9:30 a.m., and was behind two other vehicles that had stopped for a bicyclist who was crossing the street in a marked crosswalk. Bino did not see that the traffic was stopped, and slammed into the back of a vehicle, causing it, in turn, to smash into the vehicle in front of it, said Sgt. Ken Savano of the Petaluma Police Department.
Both drivers in the other vehicles were injured, and were taken to Petaluma Valley Hospital. Witnesses reported that at the time of the collision, Bino had a cell phone up to her ear and was talking on it. She was cited for the cell phone violation being a contributing factor to the collision.
The collision is under investigation.
Texting & talking while driving: Why cell phones cause accidents
From nbc26.com:
You're driving along the highway and suddenly remember the doctor's appointment you were supposed to make. You don't want to forget again, so you quickly push the "contacts" button on your cell phone, scan for your doctor's name and push "send."
After calling and making your appointment, a beeping noise alerts you that you've received a text. It could be important, so you quickly avert your eyes from the highway to scan your message. You hastily text back a reply.
Does this sound like you -- or maybe your teen? If so, the chance of having an accident quadruples, research shows.
Distracted drivers
Distracted driving is a term that refers to more than what happens when a driver uses a cell phone. It also covers other behaviors that cause accidents. Applying makeup, talking to a passenger or reaching for a baby's dropped bottle can all affect your awareness on the road. Yet, none of these other distractions increase your risk of having an accident more than using a cell phone, studies have found.
At any given moment, one in 10 drivers on the road is using a cell phone. Over half of surveyed drivers admitted to using a cell phone at least occasionally while driving. Young drivers were much more likely than older drivers to text while driving.
State laws
Five U.S. states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands all now prohibit drivers from using handheld devices, although hands-free devices are allowed. The District of Columbia and 14 states ban text messaging while driving.
Most drivers who use cell phones think it's safe to talk on a hands-free cell phone. There is overwhelming evidence, though, that both handheld and hands-free phones are equally risky.
Effects on drivers
You have four times the risk of being in a crash if you're on the phone while driving. Talking on a cell phone while driving lowers your reaction time, studies confirm. This is believed to be caused by a phenomenon known as "perceptual blindness." It suggests that when a person focuses on one task (like talking on the phone), he or she fails to notice unexpected distractions -- even when looking at them.
One study found that drivers talking on cell phones were more likely than other drivers not to see traffic signals. They were also slower to react to brake lights when following a vehicle. As a result, they were more likely to cause rear-end crashes than other drivers.
Recommendations
If you have a cell phone, follow these tips:
Don't talk or text when driving.
Let your voice mail pick up. Most cell phone-related crashes happen when a person is answering an incoming call.
If you have a passenger, let that person answer the phone for you.
If you need to make or receive a call, pull into a safe, well-lit parking area to do so.
You're driving along the highway and suddenly remember the doctor's appointment you were supposed to make. You don't want to forget again, so you quickly push the "contacts" button on your cell phone, scan for your doctor's name and push "send."
After calling and making your appointment, a beeping noise alerts you that you've received a text. It could be important, so you quickly avert your eyes from the highway to scan your message. You hastily text back a reply.
Does this sound like you -- or maybe your teen? If so, the chance of having an accident quadruples, research shows.
Distracted drivers
Distracted driving is a term that refers to more than what happens when a driver uses a cell phone. It also covers other behaviors that cause accidents. Applying makeup, talking to a passenger or reaching for a baby's dropped bottle can all affect your awareness on the road. Yet, none of these other distractions increase your risk of having an accident more than using a cell phone, studies have found.
At any given moment, one in 10 drivers on the road is using a cell phone. Over half of surveyed drivers admitted to using a cell phone at least occasionally while driving. Young drivers were much more likely than older drivers to text while driving.
State laws
Five U.S. states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands all now prohibit drivers from using handheld devices, although hands-free devices are allowed. The District of Columbia and 14 states ban text messaging while driving.
Most drivers who use cell phones think it's safe to talk on a hands-free cell phone. There is overwhelming evidence, though, that both handheld and hands-free phones are equally risky.
Effects on drivers
You have four times the risk of being in a crash if you're on the phone while driving. Talking on a cell phone while driving lowers your reaction time, studies confirm. This is believed to be caused by a phenomenon known as "perceptual blindness." It suggests that when a person focuses on one task (like talking on the phone), he or she fails to notice unexpected distractions -- even when looking at them.
One study found that drivers talking on cell phones were more likely than other drivers not to see traffic signals. They were also slower to react to brake lights when following a vehicle. As a result, they were more likely to cause rear-end crashes than other drivers.
Recommendations
If you have a cell phone, follow these tips:
Don't talk or text when driving.
Let your voice mail pick up. Most cell phone-related crashes happen when a person is answering an incoming call.
If you have a passenger, let that person answer the phone for you.
If you need to make or receive a call, pull into a safe, well-lit parking area to do so.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Parents pass on bad driving habits
From Stuff.co.nz:
Parents in the United States are setting a poor example behind the wheel for their teenage children by talking and texting on cell phones and speeding.
Nearly 60 percent of 500 parents with teenage children questioned in an online survey admitted that they chatted on their cells while driving. Forty-two percent said they were guilty of speeding and 17 percent sent a text or email.
Another 40 percent listened to loud music while driving.
"Teens get safe driving examples and advice from many sources - television ads, driving instructors, friends and family members, but no one more than Mom or Dad," Dave Melton, a driving safety expert with the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, said in a statement.
"And if they grow up watching their Mom or Dad speed, talk on their cell phone, text and email, or pay more attention to what's on the radio than their driving, they are going to think it's okay to do the same thing.
Despite bans on driving-while-texting, or DWT, in 14 states and high-profile accidents that resulted in the deaths and injuries of dozens of people, a quarter of Americans who use cell phone admitted to driving while texting, according to a recent report.
Last year 25 people were killed in a train crash in California and nearly 50 people were injured in a trolley crash in Boston earlier this year. Drivers in both accidents were found to be texting just before the crashes.
Fathers were the worst culprits for setting a bad example behind the wheel in the poll commissioned by insurance group Liberty Mutual, with 75 percent admitting to at least two dangerous driving behaviors, compared to 63 percent of mothers.
Men were also less likely than women to discuss safe driving with their children.
"Safe driving goes beyond learning a skill set, it's a two-way street and requires daily precautions and parental enforcement with clear rewards and consequences," said Stephen Wallace, the chairman of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) a national education, prevention and activism group.
"While Moms are more likely to continue to treat safe teen driving as a priority after their teens pass their driving tests, Dads tend to let driving enforcement slip," he added.
Parents in the United States are setting a poor example behind the wheel for their teenage children by talking and texting on cell phones and speeding.
Nearly 60 percent of 500 parents with teenage children questioned in an online survey admitted that they chatted on their cells while driving. Forty-two percent said they were guilty of speeding and 17 percent sent a text or email.
Another 40 percent listened to loud music while driving.
"Teens get safe driving examples and advice from many sources - television ads, driving instructors, friends and family members, but no one more than Mom or Dad," Dave Melton, a driving safety expert with the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, said in a statement.
"And if they grow up watching their Mom or Dad speed, talk on their cell phone, text and email, or pay more attention to what's on the radio than their driving, they are going to think it's okay to do the same thing.
Despite bans on driving-while-texting, or DWT, in 14 states and high-profile accidents that resulted in the deaths and injuries of dozens of people, a quarter of Americans who use cell phone admitted to driving while texting, according to a recent report.
Last year 25 people were killed in a train crash in California and nearly 50 people were injured in a trolley crash in Boston earlier this year. Drivers in both accidents were found to be texting just before the crashes.
Fathers were the worst culprits for setting a bad example behind the wheel in the poll commissioned by insurance group Liberty Mutual, with 75 percent admitting to at least two dangerous driving behaviors, compared to 63 percent of mothers.
Men were also less likely than women to discuss safe driving with their children.
"Safe driving goes beyond learning a skill set, it's a two-way street and requires daily precautions and parental enforcement with clear rewards and consequences," said Stephen Wallace, the chairman of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) a national education, prevention and activism group.
"While Moms are more likely to continue to treat safe teen driving as a priority after their teens pass their driving tests, Dads tend to let driving enforcement slip," he added.
Case in Point: Nothing Done to Protect Drivers, Passengers
From Bixby Bulletin:
OKLAHOMA CITY (September 15, 2009) The decision of law enforcement to not issue a citation to a bus driver involved in an accident due to texting while driving is a source of consternation for one state Representative who has strived to enact cell phone and texting bans. House Democratic Leader Danny Morgan, D-Prague, expressed concern that Oklahoma City Police would allow the catalyst of a fender-bender accident to drive away unfettered, despite corroborated reports that the driver was texting at the time of the crash.
“I am really surprised, first and foremost, that the driver involved in the accident was not issued a citation for at least reckless driving,” said Rep. Morgan. “Most troubling, however, is that a school bus driver, entrusted to take our kids home from school, endangered their lives to send a text message, and then was allowed to continue their route.”
Yesterday a school bus driver, transporting approximately 40 John Marshall Public School students, swerved suddenly from the left lane to the right then slammed on the brakes, causing a car behind the bus to hit it. Reports indicated that no one on the school bus suffered injuries, although a pregnant woman in the car that hit the bus was checked out at the scene.
The crash occurred Monday near John Marshall High School, located at 122nd Street and Portland Avenue.
Witnesses at the scene of the accident notified police officials that the bus driver was texting while driving, which was confirmed by the school’s principal. The principal stated that the school district will be investigating this incident.
“This is a perfect case in point that our laws are insufficient in addressing the rapid changes in driving behavior,” stated Rep. Morgan. “For those who continue to dismiss cell phone risks while claiming that our existing laws are adequate, well, obviously they’re not, because if they were then citations would have been issued and lessons learned about unacceptable driving habits.”
“All involved in this accident are very fortunate to have been able to walk away with only a lesson in unsafe driving; I hope our legislators step up to strengthen our laws to protect Oklahomans everywhere.”
Representative Morgan, alongside Representative Sue Tibbs, R-Tulsa, will be hosting an interim study on cell phone use and texting while driving on October 8th, 2009 at the state Capitol.
OKLAHOMA CITY (September 15, 2009) The decision of law enforcement to not issue a citation to a bus driver involved in an accident due to texting while driving is a source of consternation for one state Representative who has strived to enact cell phone and texting bans. House Democratic Leader Danny Morgan, D-Prague, expressed concern that Oklahoma City Police would allow the catalyst of a fender-bender accident to drive away unfettered, despite corroborated reports that the driver was texting at the time of the crash.
“I am really surprised, first and foremost, that the driver involved in the accident was not issued a citation for at least reckless driving,” said Rep. Morgan. “Most troubling, however, is that a school bus driver, entrusted to take our kids home from school, endangered their lives to send a text message, and then was allowed to continue their route.”
Yesterday a school bus driver, transporting approximately 40 John Marshall Public School students, swerved suddenly from the left lane to the right then slammed on the brakes, causing a car behind the bus to hit it. Reports indicated that no one on the school bus suffered injuries, although a pregnant woman in the car that hit the bus was checked out at the scene.
The crash occurred Monday near John Marshall High School, located at 122nd Street and Portland Avenue.
Witnesses at the scene of the accident notified police officials that the bus driver was texting while driving, which was confirmed by the school’s principal. The principal stated that the school district will be investigating this incident.
“This is a perfect case in point that our laws are insufficient in addressing the rapid changes in driving behavior,” stated Rep. Morgan. “For those who continue to dismiss cell phone risks while claiming that our existing laws are adequate, well, obviously they’re not, because if they were then citations would have been issued and lessons learned about unacceptable driving habits.”
“All involved in this accident are very fortunate to have been able to walk away with only a lesson in unsafe driving; I hope our legislators step up to strengthen our laws to protect Oklahomans everywhere.”
Representative Morgan, alongside Representative Sue Tibbs, R-Tulsa, will be hosting an interim study on cell phone use and texting while driving on October 8th, 2009 at the state Capitol.
Officer's Phone Sent Or Received Text Before Crash
From WJZ.com:
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) ―
Cellphone records show a cell phone owned by a Prince George's County police corporal involved in an accident that killed a University of Maryland student sent or received a text message moments before the collision.
But witness Eric Ridenour, a sales manager for AT&T, the service provider for Cpl. Mario Chavez's cellphone, was not asked and did not say whether Chavez sent or opened the text message. Ridenour testified Tuesday on the second day of a civil trial in Prince George's Circuit Court.
The crash claimed the life of 20-year-old Brian Gay.
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) ―
Cellphone records show a cell phone owned by a Prince George's County police corporal involved in an accident that killed a University of Maryland student sent or received a text message moments before the collision.
But witness Eric Ridenour, a sales manager for AT&T, the service provider for Cpl. Mario Chavez's cellphone, was not asked and did not say whether Chavez sent or opened the text message. Ridenour testified Tuesday on the second day of a civil trial in Prince George's Circuit Court.
The crash claimed the life of 20-year-old Brian Gay.
Walk/run to honor victim of driving while texting
From The Baltimore Sun:
Russell Hurd, whose testimony about the death of his daughter helped win General Assembly passage of the ban on driving while texting that goes into effect Oct. 1, asked me to pass along that his family and Harford Community College will host a 5-kilometer walk and run Nov. 21 in honor of Heather Hurd.
I'm happy to do so.
Heather Hurd was killed Jan. 3, 2008, in Davenport, Fla., when the car in which she was riding was hit by a tractor-trailer driver who had been texting. His daughter's loss prompted Russell Hurd, who lives in Abingdon, to become involved in efforts to pass legislation addressing issues of distracted driving in Maryland and other states. (Russell and his wife Kim are shown in the photo above during General Assembly testimony earlier this year.)
Enrollment fees for the 8 a.m. event -- $20 for the general public and $15 for HCC students and staff -- will go toward Remembrance Scholarships to honor those killed on Maryland roads.
Russell Hurd, whose testimony about the death of his daughter helped win General Assembly passage of the ban on driving while texting that goes into effect Oct. 1, asked me to pass along that his family and Harford Community College will host a 5-kilometer walk and run Nov. 21 in honor of Heather Hurd.
I'm happy to do so.
Heather Hurd was killed Jan. 3, 2008, in Davenport, Fla., when the car in which she was riding was hit by a tractor-trailer driver who had been texting. His daughter's loss prompted Russell Hurd, who lives in Abingdon, to become involved in efforts to pass legislation addressing issues of distracted driving in Maryland and other states. (Russell and his wife Kim are shown in the photo above during General Assembly testimony earlier this year.)
Enrollment fees for the 8 a.m. event -- $20 for the general public and $15 for HCC students and staff -- will go toward Remembrance Scholarships to honor those killed on Maryland roads.
Agenda set for distracted driving summit
From TheTrucker.com:
9/16/2009
WASHINGTON — U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has announced the agenda for the upcoming Distracted Driving Summit, set for Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. More than 200 safety experts, researchers, elected officials and members of the public will gather in Washington to share their experiences, provide feedback and develop recommendations for reducing the growing safety risk that distracted driving is imposing on our nation’s roads.
“We must act now to stop distracted driving from becoming a deadly epidemic on our nation's roadways,” said LaHood. “This summit will give safety leaders from across the nation a forum to identify, target and tackle the fundamental elements of this problem.”
The Distracted Driving Summit will bring together respected leaders from around the country for interactive sessions on the extent and impact of the problem, current research, regulations, best practices and other key topics.
The two day summit will feature five panels — on data, research, technology, policy, and outreach — with a range of experts discussing each topic.
The summit will begin with a context setting panel where participants will examine the scope of the issue and the various distractions that exist, followed by a panel that will review currently available research.
Day one wraps up with an examination of distractions caused by technology and efforts made to assess and reduce negative effects caused by current and planned devices. Panelists will also consider technology that can prevent the consequences of driver distraction.
Day two features a review of legislative and regulatory approaches for dealing with distracted driving; evaluations of the impact of such measures; and enforcement issues. Members of Congress and their staff will also have the opportunity to contribute to the discussion.
Day two concludes with a discussion with teens about their experiences with distracted driving followed by an examination of various public awareness initiatives and research regarding the effectiveness of these efforts.
To accommodate the strong response, the summit will be available live by Webcast and members of the public will be given the opportunity to submit questions online for each individual panel discussion. The complete agenda and additional information about the Summit can be found here.
9/16/2009
WASHINGTON — U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has announced the agenda for the upcoming Distracted Driving Summit, set for Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. More than 200 safety experts, researchers, elected officials and members of the public will gather in Washington to share their experiences, provide feedback and develop recommendations for reducing the growing safety risk that distracted driving is imposing on our nation’s roads.
“We must act now to stop distracted driving from becoming a deadly epidemic on our nation's roadways,” said LaHood. “This summit will give safety leaders from across the nation a forum to identify, target and tackle the fundamental elements of this problem.”
The Distracted Driving Summit will bring together respected leaders from around the country for interactive sessions on the extent and impact of the problem, current research, regulations, best practices and other key topics.
The two day summit will feature five panels — on data, research, technology, policy, and outreach — with a range of experts discussing each topic.
The summit will begin with a context setting panel where participants will examine the scope of the issue and the various distractions that exist, followed by a panel that will review currently available research.
Day one wraps up with an examination of distractions caused by technology and efforts made to assess and reduce negative effects caused by current and planned devices. Panelists will also consider technology that can prevent the consequences of driver distraction.
Day two features a review of legislative and regulatory approaches for dealing with distracted driving; evaluations of the impact of such measures; and enforcement issues. Members of Congress and their staff will also have the opportunity to contribute to the discussion.
Day two concludes with a discussion with teens about their experiences with distracted driving followed by an examination of various public awareness initiatives and research regarding the effectiveness of these efforts.
To accommodate the strong response, the summit will be available live by Webcast and members of the public will be given the opportunity to submit questions online for each individual panel discussion. The complete agenda and additional information about the Summit can be found here.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Survey: More motorists using cell phones, worried about drinking and driving
From FrederickNewsPost.com:
Kenneth Beck is concerned about drivers increasingly using cell phones.
For seven years, Beck has been polling more than 800 Maryland drivers about their traffic safety concerns, beliefs and behaviors.
The University of Maryland Department of Public and Community Health professor uses his data along with crash statistics and citation figures to coordinate traffic safety programs.
In 2003, about 50 percent of motorists said they used a cell phone while driving. Beck said his most recent results reveal that close to 65 percent do so now.
"I actually tried to dial my cell phone in traffic once," Beck said in a phone interview. "I couldn't do it."
Now that people can communicate everywhere, Beck said he is concerned drivers face more distractions and are less able to focus on the road.
"Seven Years of Surveillance: A report on selected trends of reported behaviors, concerns and beliefs of Maryland drivers" was released in August, revealing the collected results of Beck's random-digit telephone surveys.
"Looking at seven years of data, we've found that certain kinds of trends have been significant," Beck wrote in the report.
His four main areas study are alcohol-impaired driving, seat belt use, distracted and drowsy driving, and speeding and aggressive driving.
Concerns about drinking and driving remain at the top of the list, the study said. On average, 90 percent of participants say impaired driving is critical.
Not much has changed over the years, except perceptions of risk, Beck said.
When asked about the likelihood of being caught by the police while drinking and driving, people reported a decreased tendency to perform the act, but an increase in their fear of being arrested.
The Maryland Highway Safety Office and the Maryland Department of Transportation report a decline in drunk driving fatalities over the past two or three years. Beck is hesitant to say whether that downward trend will be sustained.
"Even though the trend is going in the right direction, it's still below what I think should be the threshold," he said.
Fewer than one-third of surveyed drivers think they would be arrested for drinking and driving. Beck said the numbers should range closer to 40 percent to 50 percent and upward, ensuring public awareness of the problem.
Carroll County Health Department's Susan Solo, traffic safety coordinator for the Frederick and Carroll county areas, said increased campaigns, supported by the state highway administration, will show that law enforcement is serious about addressing impaired driving.
To reduce drunken driving and combative behavior on the road, Frederick County law enforcement is performing more concentrated DUI patrols, as well as the Smooth Operator campaign, a public safety initiative to provide solutions to aggressive driving.
The study, funded by the Maryland Highway Safety Office, may be discontinued next year because of funding cuts.
Beck said he would like to continue the study, as it is available to researchers both within and outside of the University of Maryland.
The state also wants to sustain the survey, "to hear from the residents and gain the feedback that is needed to guide programming," Solo said.
Kenneth Beck is concerned about drivers increasingly using cell phones.
For seven years, Beck has been polling more than 800 Maryland drivers about their traffic safety concerns, beliefs and behaviors.
The University of Maryland Department of Public and Community Health professor uses his data along with crash statistics and citation figures to coordinate traffic safety programs.
In 2003, about 50 percent of motorists said they used a cell phone while driving. Beck said his most recent results reveal that close to 65 percent do so now.
"I actually tried to dial my cell phone in traffic once," Beck said in a phone interview. "I couldn't do it."
Now that people can communicate everywhere, Beck said he is concerned drivers face more distractions and are less able to focus on the road.
"Seven Years of Surveillance: A report on selected trends of reported behaviors, concerns and beliefs of Maryland drivers" was released in August, revealing the collected results of Beck's random-digit telephone surveys.
"Looking at seven years of data, we've found that certain kinds of trends have been significant," Beck wrote in the report.
His four main areas study are alcohol-impaired driving, seat belt use, distracted and drowsy driving, and speeding and aggressive driving.
Concerns about drinking and driving remain at the top of the list, the study said. On average, 90 percent of participants say impaired driving is critical.
Not much has changed over the years, except perceptions of risk, Beck said.
When asked about the likelihood of being caught by the police while drinking and driving, people reported a decreased tendency to perform the act, but an increase in their fear of being arrested.
The Maryland Highway Safety Office and the Maryland Department of Transportation report a decline in drunk driving fatalities over the past two or three years. Beck is hesitant to say whether that downward trend will be sustained.
"Even though the trend is going in the right direction, it's still below what I think should be the threshold," he said.
Fewer than one-third of surveyed drivers think they would be arrested for drinking and driving. Beck said the numbers should range closer to 40 percent to 50 percent and upward, ensuring public awareness of the problem.
Carroll County Health Department's Susan Solo, traffic safety coordinator for the Frederick and Carroll county areas, said increased campaigns, supported by the state highway administration, will show that law enforcement is serious about addressing impaired driving.
To reduce drunken driving and combative behavior on the road, Frederick County law enforcement is performing more concentrated DUI patrols, as well as the Smooth Operator campaign, a public safety initiative to provide solutions to aggressive driving.
The study, funded by the Maryland Highway Safety Office, may be discontinued next year because of funding cuts.
Beck said he would like to continue the study, as it is available to researchers both within and outside of the University of Maryland.
The state also wants to sustain the survey, "to hear from the residents and gain the feedback that is needed to guide programming," Solo said.
Driver was using cell phone during crash that killed a Harrisburg teacher, court reports say
From PennLive.com:
by EMILY OPILO, Of The Patriot-News
Wednesday September 16, 2009, 6:50 PM
A 20-year-old Annville, Pennsylvania, woman was using her cell phone during a crash that killed an award-winning Harrisburg teacher in June, according to court records released today.
By reviewing cell phone records, investigators determined Dijor M. Boykin, 20, was sending and receiving text messages and phone calls at the approximate time of the crash that killed Carolyn Henry of Harrisburg, according to court reports. Boykin was charged Wednesday with vehicular homicide and reckless driving in the crash.
Boykin was traveling west on Union Deposit Road in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County, on June 5, when she crossed the median and hit Henry's car head on, according to court documents. She later told investigators she was unsure whether or not she was using a cell phone at the time of the crash, but admitted it could have been a contributing factor.
Henry, 55, was a reading teacher at Harrisburg High School. The veteran teacher was an advocate for reading and literacy, an organizer of the school's new teen book club and the founder of the school's poetry club.
Dauphin County Assistant District Attorney Fran Chardo said severe consequences of Boykin's reckless driving led him to seek a vehicular homicide charge.
"If you're reckless and you cause a death, that's homicide by vehicle," he said. "You can be reckless and not cause any death."
by EMILY OPILO, Of The Patriot-News
Wednesday September 16, 2009, 6:50 PM
A 20-year-old Annville, Pennsylvania, woman was using her cell phone during a crash that killed an award-winning Harrisburg teacher in June, according to court records released today.
By reviewing cell phone records, investigators determined Dijor M. Boykin, 20, was sending and receiving text messages and phone calls at the approximate time of the crash that killed Carolyn Henry of Harrisburg, according to court reports. Boykin was charged Wednesday with vehicular homicide and reckless driving in the crash.
Boykin was traveling west on Union Deposit Road in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County, on June 5, when she crossed the median and hit Henry's car head on, according to court documents. She later told investigators she was unsure whether or not she was using a cell phone at the time of the crash, but admitted it could have been a contributing factor.
Henry, 55, was a reading teacher at Harrisburg High School. The veteran teacher was an advocate for reading and literacy, an organizer of the school's new teen book club and the founder of the school's poetry club.
Dauphin County Assistant District Attorney Fran Chardo said severe consequences of Boykin's reckless driving led him to seek a vehicular homicide charge.
"If you're reckless and you cause a death, that's homicide by vehicle," he said. "You can be reckless and not cause any death."
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Man Killed, Officer Injured In Roadside Check Crash
From WSBTV.com:
PALMETTO, Ga. -- Officials said a police officer is in stable condition after a weekend car crash that killed the driver during a roadside check. Palmetto police said they are still investigating how the officer was pulled onto the car as the driver took off from a traffic stop.
Sergeant Fred Gragg was listed in stable condition at Grady Hospital Monday but his injuries have erased his memory of what happened during the weekend crash, officials said.
At Grady Hospital, Gragg was surrounded by friends and family as he recovered from facial fractures and other injuries.
"Very dedicated. He was our supervisor on evening watch," said Deputy Chief John Cooper of the Palmetto Police Department.
On Hutchinson Ferry Road, the markings from the deadly accident could still be seen Monday. Palmetto police said Gragg was conducting a road safety check at Hutchinson Ferry Road and Waterworks when Gragg asked Jimmy Austin for his driver’s license. Austin could not produce one, so Gragg asked him to pull his car over to the side of the road, according to police.
Cooper said Austin was on his cell phone when the sergeant asked him to hang up -- that's when the deadly chain of events began.
"(Austin) was on his cell phone and after two or three times, Sergeant Gragg asked him to, 'Please hang up the cell phone I need to conduct my investigation,'" said Cooper. “I don't know what got into the guy, he just floor-boarded the car, and how the officer ended up in the car I don't know, I don't know if his belt got hung on the side of the car, I don't know if he tried to reach for the keys to shut, shut the car off."
Investigators said the car travelled about 300 yards before striking a concrete mailbox.
“Which caused the vehicle to subsequently flip over, subsequently pinning the driver underneath and ejecting Sergeant Greg onto the street,” said Cooper.
Investigators said they are still trying to find out how Gragg ended up inside the car. Officials said they have a few working theories about how he may have gotten caught on the car.
“All I know is that he was stopped at a roadblock, how the officer got in the car with him I do not know I have no idea,” said Jimmy Austin’s wife, Melissa.
Melissa Austin said she can’t understand how her husband ended up dead.
"He's not a violent person, not a bad person so all I can do is pray. I know he is in a better place," said Melissa Austin.
The officer’s condition has been improving since the incident, hospital officials said.
PALMETTO, Ga. -- Officials said a police officer is in stable condition after a weekend car crash that killed the driver during a roadside check. Palmetto police said they are still investigating how the officer was pulled onto the car as the driver took off from a traffic stop.
Sergeant Fred Gragg was listed in stable condition at Grady Hospital Monday but his injuries have erased his memory of what happened during the weekend crash, officials said.
At Grady Hospital, Gragg was surrounded by friends and family as he recovered from facial fractures and other injuries.
"Very dedicated. He was our supervisor on evening watch," said Deputy Chief John Cooper of the Palmetto Police Department.
On Hutchinson Ferry Road, the markings from the deadly accident could still be seen Monday. Palmetto police said Gragg was conducting a road safety check at Hutchinson Ferry Road and Waterworks when Gragg asked Jimmy Austin for his driver’s license. Austin could not produce one, so Gragg asked him to pull his car over to the side of the road, according to police.
Cooper said Austin was on his cell phone when the sergeant asked him to hang up -- that's when the deadly chain of events began.
"(Austin) was on his cell phone and after two or three times, Sergeant Gragg asked him to, 'Please hang up the cell phone I need to conduct my investigation,'" said Cooper. “I don't know what got into the guy, he just floor-boarded the car, and how the officer ended up in the car I don't know, I don't know if his belt got hung on the side of the car, I don't know if he tried to reach for the keys to shut, shut the car off."
Investigators said the car travelled about 300 yards before striking a concrete mailbox.
“Which caused the vehicle to subsequently flip over, subsequently pinning the driver underneath and ejecting Sergeant Greg onto the street,” said Cooper.
Investigators said they are still trying to find out how Gragg ended up inside the car. Officials said they have a few working theories about how he may have gotten caught on the car.
“All I know is that he was stopped at a roadblock, how the officer got in the car with him I do not know I have no idea,” said Jimmy Austin’s wife, Melissa.
Melissa Austin said she can’t understand how her husband ended up dead.
"He's not a violent person, not a bad person so all I can do is pray. I know he is in a better place," said Melissa Austin.
The officer’s condition has been improving since the incident, hospital officials said.
Three cheers to NTSB for stance on texting while driving
From Bradenton.com:
It isn’t much more than a symbolic gesture, without the force of law behind it. But give the National Transportation Safety Board credit for setting a good example. Hopefully, more agencies, companies and individuals will follow suit.
The NTSB, which investigates transportation accidents, is now banning texting and talking on cell phones by its 400 employees while they are driving on government business. The same ban applies during off-hour driving if they are using a government-issued wireless device. They are apparently the first federal agency to impose such a ban.
To which we can only say, Bravo!
There is no doubt that texting while driving greatly increases the chances for accidents. Talking on your cell phone while driving may seem less dangerous, but not by much.
At present, no state completely bans cell phone use by drivers, with enforcement being one of the major hang-ups. But, while Florida and other states and even the U.S. Congress talk about possible legislation and enforcement procedures, it would be great if the NTSB’s gesture rubs off on the general public.
Seriously, does anybody need an actual written law to know that texting while driving is extremely dangerous? Somehow, the nation survived quite well for many years without texting behind the wheel. Common sense should tell drivers that no text message or cell phone discussion is that important to put anybody’s life at risk.
The problem is not going away, and possible solutions are being sought. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is scheduled to host a summit of experts later this month to figure out what to do about driver cell phone use and texting.
A good place to start would be to call on more companies and individuals to follow the example set by the NTSB.
It isn’t much more than a symbolic gesture, without the force of law behind it. But give the National Transportation Safety Board credit for setting a good example. Hopefully, more agencies, companies and individuals will follow suit.
The NTSB, which investigates transportation accidents, is now banning texting and talking on cell phones by its 400 employees while they are driving on government business. The same ban applies during off-hour driving if they are using a government-issued wireless device. They are apparently the first federal agency to impose such a ban.
To which we can only say, Bravo!
There is no doubt that texting while driving greatly increases the chances for accidents. Talking on your cell phone while driving may seem less dangerous, but not by much.
At present, no state completely bans cell phone use by drivers, with enforcement being one of the major hang-ups. But, while Florida and other states and even the U.S. Congress talk about possible legislation and enforcement procedures, it would be great if the NTSB’s gesture rubs off on the general public.
Seriously, does anybody need an actual written law to know that texting while driving is extremely dangerous? Somehow, the nation survived quite well for many years without texting behind the wheel. Common sense should tell drivers that no text message or cell phone discussion is that important to put anybody’s life at risk.
The problem is not going away, and possible solutions are being sought. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is scheduled to host a summit of experts later this month to figure out what to do about driver cell phone use and texting.
A good place to start would be to call on more companies and individuals to follow the example set by the NTSB.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Maine outlaws ‘distracted’ driving
From Boston.com:
AUGUSTA, Maine - Motorists, drop those cellphones. And lose the laptops, bag the Big Macs, and nix the newspapers and roadmaps while you’re behind the wheel. It’s now against the law to drive while distracted in Maine.
More than a dozen states have passed laws making texting while driving illegal, and some states and cities have outlawed use of cell phones while driving. A bill in Congress would force states to ban texting or e-mailing or lose 25 percent of their annual federal highway funding.
Maine legislators, however, reasoned that accidents can result from a number of distractions not just limited to handheld communication devices. Roughly 12,000 crashes in Maine each year - about a third of the total crashes in the state - stem from some kind of driver distraction, said Lt. Chris Grotton, who helped to develop Maine’s new law.
“Our focus here was, instead of going after the device, let’s focus on the real issue - and the issue is distraction,’’ said Grotton. “I think it will mitigate accidents. It’s a step, but a big step.’’
State Senator Bill Diamond, Democrat of Windham, said he was moved to introduce the bill after a state trooper reported seeing a woman driving through turnpike toll booths during the Fourth of July weekend while watching the “Gilmore Girls’’ on her laptop.
Maine’s new law, which sets fines of up to $500, defines distracted as being engaged in an activity not necessary to the operation of the vehicle and that impairs, or could impair, the ability to drive safely.
As Diamond explains it, doing something that takes a driver’s concentration off the road and could potentially cause an accident becomes illegal. It doesn’t make any particular action illegal, as long as the driver isn’t distracted, said Diamond.
Highly publicized cases of crashes involving drivers texting have also prompted Massachusetts lawmakers to consider crackdowns on texting or cellphone use. In June, the Legislature’s Transportation Committee heard testimony on 15 different bills that would regulate texting or using a cellphone without a hands-free device while driving. But so far, no measures have passed.
AUGUSTA, Maine - Motorists, drop those cellphones. And lose the laptops, bag the Big Macs, and nix the newspapers and roadmaps while you’re behind the wheel. It’s now against the law to drive while distracted in Maine.
More than a dozen states have passed laws making texting while driving illegal, and some states and cities have outlawed use of cell phones while driving. A bill in Congress would force states to ban texting or e-mailing or lose 25 percent of their annual federal highway funding.
Maine legislators, however, reasoned that accidents can result from a number of distractions not just limited to handheld communication devices. Roughly 12,000 crashes in Maine each year - about a third of the total crashes in the state - stem from some kind of driver distraction, said Lt. Chris Grotton, who helped to develop Maine’s new law.
“Our focus here was, instead of going after the device, let’s focus on the real issue - and the issue is distraction,’’ said Grotton. “I think it will mitigate accidents. It’s a step, but a big step.’’
State Senator Bill Diamond, Democrat of Windham, said he was moved to introduce the bill after a state trooper reported seeing a woman driving through turnpike toll booths during the Fourth of July weekend while watching the “Gilmore Girls’’ on her laptop.
Maine’s new law, which sets fines of up to $500, defines distracted as being engaged in an activity not necessary to the operation of the vehicle and that impairs, or could impair, the ability to drive safely.
As Diamond explains it, doing something that takes a driver’s concentration off the road and could potentially cause an accident becomes illegal. It doesn’t make any particular action illegal, as long as the driver isn’t distracted, said Diamond.
Highly publicized cases of crashes involving drivers texting have also prompted Massachusetts lawmakers to consider crackdowns on texting or cellphone use. In June, the Legislature’s Transportation Committee heard testimony on 15 different bills that would regulate texting or using a cellphone without a hands-free device while driving. But so far, no measures have passed.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) and Its Affiliates are Promoting Drive Safely Work Week
From Reuters:
The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) and Its Affiliates are
Promoting Drive Safely Work Week and Ask All Drivers to: Drive Focused, Drive
Smart, and Get Home Safely
SMYRNA, Ga., Sept. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Recognizing that safe and
smart driving is important for its employees and the entire community, the
Georgia Motor Trucking Foundation is joining other leading organizations
across the nation to conduct a series of educational activities during Drive
Safely Work Week, Oct. 5-9.
"Whether employees are driving as a function of their job, or just commuting
to and from work, the time they spend behind the wheel can be the most
dangerous part of their day," said Ed Crowell, President of GMTF. In fact,
every 10 seconds there is a traffic-related injury, and every 12 minutes
someone dies in a roadway crash, according to the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration.
The theme for this year's Drive Safely Work Week is "Drive Focused -- Drive
Smart -- Get Home Safely." The program, sponsored by the non-profit Network of
Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS), communicates a variety of safe-driving
practices, with the focus being on the danger of distracted driving. In
recognition of the broader impact driving can have on society, the campaign
this year will also provide employees with information on "green" driving --
driving smart to reduce the impact of driving habits on the environment.
Federal Government studies have found that distracted driving is the number
one cause of vehicle crashes, accounting for 80 percent of crashes and 65
percent of near-crashes. Work-related traffic crashes continue to be the
number one cause of work-place fatalities, with more than 1300 fatalities in
2007 or nearly four every day, according to the National Institute of
Occupational Safety and Health.
"We recognize that we have a responsibility to make a positive contribution by
making our community a safer and more eco-friendly place to live and work,"
said Crowell. "We want our employees to be productive, but we are emphasizing
that when they are driving, safety must be their overriding priority."
The campaign is built around a series of daily messages, delivered to
employees through a variety of methods, including voicemail, email, company
newsletters and Intranets. Daily activities are also used to actively involve
employees and increase awareness.
As part of the campaign, employees are encouraged to change their voicemail
messages on their mobile phones to indicate they are either away from their
phone or driving and will return the call as soon as they are safely able to
do so. It's a simple, effective message that allows the driver to say, "While
I'm driving, I need to focus on that task."
Facts and tips related to distracted driving are delivered through the
campaign and are designed to hit home with employees, encouraging them to
drive safely so they get home safely every day. The campaign's messages
remind them that most likely, someone special is waiting for them at the end
of the day.
Examples of the messages being communicated include:
-- Crashes that are the result of inattentive behavior are predictable,
preventable and within the driver's control. They are not
accidents.
-- When you're behind the wheel, you're coordinating the actions
of your hands, feet, eyes, ears, and body movements while deciding how
to react to what you see, hear, and feel in relation to other vehicles
on the road with you. Adding non-driving tasks to the already
demanding
task of driving is never a good idea.
-- Remember they'll do what you do. Even if the kids are far from the
driving age, demonstrate now the behavior you'll expect later from
them. Set the right example concerning the use of mobile phones and
texting while driving and always be mindful of your precious cargo.
Founded in 1994, the Georgia Motor Trucking Foundation is a 501 c 3
not-for-profit organization dedicated to highway safety education throughout
the state. It is maintained in large part by the donations of trucking
companies and other safety conscious groups or individuals. The Foundation
sponsors a wide variety of safety presentations and educational events
throughout the year. For more information on Drive Safely Work Week, contact
GMTF at www.gmta.org.
Founded in 1989, the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) is an
employer-led public-private partnership dedicated to improving the safety and
health of employees, their families, and members of the communities in which
they live and work, by preventing traffic crashes that occur both on and off
the job. The only nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to traffic
safety in the workplace, NETS provides organizations of all sizes and
industry-types with guidance in developing or improving their driver safety
programs. For more information on NETS, visit www.trafficsafety.org.
SOURCE Georgia Motor Trucking Foundation
The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) and Its Affiliates are
Promoting Drive Safely Work Week and Ask All Drivers to: Drive Focused, Drive
Smart, and Get Home Safely
SMYRNA, Ga., Sept. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Recognizing that safe and
smart driving is important for its employees and the entire community, the
Georgia Motor Trucking Foundation is joining other leading organizations
across the nation to conduct a series of educational activities during Drive
Safely Work Week, Oct. 5-9.
"Whether employees are driving as a function of their job, or just commuting
to and from work, the time they spend behind the wheel can be the most
dangerous part of their day," said Ed Crowell, President of GMTF. In fact,
every 10 seconds there is a traffic-related injury, and every 12 minutes
someone dies in a roadway crash, according to the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration.
The theme for this year's Drive Safely Work Week is "Drive Focused -- Drive
Smart -- Get Home Safely." The program, sponsored by the non-profit Network of
Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS), communicates a variety of safe-driving
practices, with the focus being on the danger of distracted driving. In
recognition of the broader impact driving can have on society, the campaign
this year will also provide employees with information on "green" driving --
driving smart to reduce the impact of driving habits on the environment.
Federal Government studies have found that distracted driving is the number
one cause of vehicle crashes, accounting for 80 percent of crashes and 65
percent of near-crashes. Work-related traffic crashes continue to be the
number one cause of work-place fatalities, with more than 1300 fatalities in
2007 or nearly four every day, according to the National Institute of
Occupational Safety and Health.
"We recognize that we have a responsibility to make a positive contribution by
making our community a safer and more eco-friendly place to live and work,"
said Crowell. "We want our employees to be productive, but we are emphasizing
that when they are driving, safety must be their overriding priority."
The campaign is built around a series of daily messages, delivered to
employees through a variety of methods, including voicemail, email, company
newsletters and Intranets. Daily activities are also used to actively involve
employees and increase awareness.
As part of the campaign, employees are encouraged to change their voicemail
messages on their mobile phones to indicate they are either away from their
phone or driving and will return the call as soon as they are safely able to
do so. It's a simple, effective message that allows the driver to say, "While
I'm driving, I need to focus on that task."
Facts and tips related to distracted driving are delivered through the
campaign and are designed to hit home with employees, encouraging them to
drive safely so they get home safely every day. The campaign's messages
remind them that most likely, someone special is waiting for them at the end
of the day.
Examples of the messages being communicated include:
-- Crashes that are the result of inattentive behavior are predictable,
preventable and within the driver's control. They are not
accidents.
-- When you're behind the wheel, you're coordinating the actions
of your hands, feet, eyes, ears, and body movements while deciding how
to react to what you see, hear, and feel in relation to other vehicles
on the road with you. Adding non-driving tasks to the already
demanding
task of driving is never a good idea.
-- Remember they'll do what you do. Even if the kids are far from the
driving age, demonstrate now the behavior you'll expect later from
them. Set the right example concerning the use of mobile phones and
texting while driving and always be mindful of your precious cargo.
Founded in 1994, the Georgia Motor Trucking Foundation is a 501 c 3
not-for-profit organization dedicated to highway safety education throughout
the state. It is maintained in large part by the donations of trucking
companies and other safety conscious groups or individuals. The Foundation
sponsors a wide variety of safety presentations and educational events
throughout the year. For more information on Drive Safely Work Week, contact
GMTF at www.gmta.org.
Founded in 1989, the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) is an
employer-led public-private partnership dedicated to improving the safety and
health of employees, their families, and members of the communities in which
they live and work, by preventing traffic crashes that occur both on and off
the job. The only nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to traffic
safety in the workplace, NETS provides organizations of all sizes and
industry-types with guidance in developing or improving their driver safety
programs. For more information on NETS, visit www.trafficsafety.org.
SOURCE Georgia Motor Trucking Foundation
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
ZoomSafer Launches Public Beta to Prevent Distracted Driving
From Marketwatch.com:
RESTON, Va., Sep 08, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- ZoomSafer (www.zoomsafer.com) launches today the public beta of its patented service to minimize motorist distractions stemming from the use of mobile phones while driving.
"We've developed an innovative, yet practical, safe driving solution to help mobile phone users focus on the road, not on their phones when driving," said Mike Riemer, CEO and co-founder of ZoomSafer. "Distracted driving is a huge and growing problem, and we're excited to share the beta version of our software with members of the public and incorporate people's feedback so we can further refine the service and maximize adoption."
"As a mobile-device addicted person who frequently drove distracted, Zoomsafer is helping me make better decisions everyday as a motorist" said Matt Howard, co-founder of ZoomSafer. "Having tested the beta extensively I can honestly say that I am less distracted and more focused when driving -- and I am excited to see what ZoomSafer can do for others."
The initial beta program is for Blackberry users only -- with support for Windows Mobile and Google Android planned for year end. Phase one of the beta includes the following core safety features:
-- Auto speed detection - ZoomSafer detects when you start to drive and automatically activates.
-- Safety Announcements - A recorded message plays when ZoomSafer activates reminding you to drive safely. We've pre-recorded several announcements for the Beta, but in phase 2 of the beta you'll be able to record your own custom announcements as well as choose from several Celebrity Safety Announcements.
-- Auto-Toots - These are messages sent on your behalf to friends, families, and social networks to tell them when you've started and stopped driving. These updates can be sent via SMS or E-mail to up to 3 contacts as well as to Facebook or Twitter.
-- Keyboard Locking - Your keypad will be locked when ZoomSafer is activated except for:
1. Soft-key to exit the app when you have stopped driving or if you
are a passenger.
2. Dialing 9-1-1
-- Three Priority Contacts - You can enter up to three Priority Contacts who will be able to call and interrupt you while you are driving. Inbound calls from priority contacts will be announced via a generic audio-alert. In phase 2 of the beta you will be able to create custom ZoomRingers for each of your priority contacts.
-- Inbound phone call management -- While you are driving, we will suppress ringer/notification of all inbound callers who are not listed as Priority Contacts.
-- Inbound email/text message management -- While you are driving, we will suppress all messaging-related inbound alerts.
-- Auto-Responses -- While you are driving, if people try and contact you via phone or text -- they will receive an auto-response notifying them that you are focused on the road and that you will respond once you've reached your destination safely.
Phase two of the beta will commence in November, is fully customizable, and will include the following hands-free productivity features:
-- ZoomSafer Voice Safety Portal -- While driving with your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel you'll be able to use your voice to create, listen to, and reply to e-mails and text messages. You'll also be able to use your voice to update Twitter and Facebook as well as listen to additional content services such as new, weather, and sports feeds.
-- User defined inbound calling -- You'll have even more control to decide who can call you when you're driving.
-- ZoomRingers -- You'll be able to have your personal contacts record a ZoomRinger that plays when they call you. You will no longer have to look at your phone to know who is calling. If a call does not have a ZoomRinger associated with it, ZoomSafer will read the phone number to you.
-- Priority Text Messages and Emails -- When you receive a text message or e-mail from a Priority Contact, you will be told audibly about the message and asked whether you want to listen to it.
Individuals interested in participating in the beta can register at www.zoomsafer.com.
About ZoomSafer Inc.
ZoomSafer is the safest way to use your mobile phone while driving. We provide innovative mobile software and services to prevent distracted driving for the 20 million smart phone users including prosumers, small business users, families and young drivers, enterprises, and government organizations. For more information, or to download our media kit, please visit us on the web www.zoomsafer.com.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6044029&lang=en
SOURCE: ZoomSafer
RESTON, Va., Sep 08, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- ZoomSafer (www.zoomsafer.com) launches today the public beta of its patented service to minimize motorist distractions stemming from the use of mobile phones while driving.
"We've developed an innovative, yet practical, safe driving solution to help mobile phone users focus on the road, not on their phones when driving," said Mike Riemer, CEO and co-founder of ZoomSafer. "Distracted driving is a huge and growing problem, and we're excited to share the beta version of our software with members of the public and incorporate people's feedback so we can further refine the service and maximize adoption."
"As a mobile-device addicted person who frequently drove distracted, Zoomsafer is helping me make better decisions everyday as a motorist" said Matt Howard, co-founder of ZoomSafer. "Having tested the beta extensively I can honestly say that I am less distracted and more focused when driving -- and I am excited to see what ZoomSafer can do for others."
The initial beta program is for Blackberry users only -- with support for Windows Mobile and Google Android planned for year end. Phase one of the beta includes the following core safety features:
-- Auto speed detection - ZoomSafer detects when you start to drive and automatically activates.
-- Safety Announcements - A recorded message plays when ZoomSafer activates reminding you to drive safely. We've pre-recorded several announcements for the Beta, but in phase 2 of the beta you'll be able to record your own custom announcements as well as choose from several Celebrity Safety Announcements.
-- Auto-Toots - These are messages sent on your behalf to friends, families, and social networks to tell them when you've started and stopped driving. These updates can be sent via SMS or E-mail to up to 3 contacts as well as to Facebook or Twitter.
-- Keyboard Locking - Your keypad will be locked when ZoomSafer is activated except for:
1. Soft-key to exit the app when you have stopped driving or if you
are a passenger.
2. Dialing 9-1-1
-- Three Priority Contacts - You can enter up to three Priority Contacts who will be able to call and interrupt you while you are driving. Inbound calls from priority contacts will be announced via a generic audio-alert. In phase 2 of the beta you will be able to create custom ZoomRingers for each of your priority contacts.
-- Inbound phone call management -- While you are driving, we will suppress ringer/notification of all inbound callers who are not listed as Priority Contacts.
-- Inbound email/text message management -- While you are driving, we will suppress all messaging-related inbound alerts.
-- Auto-Responses -- While you are driving, if people try and contact you via phone or text -- they will receive an auto-response notifying them that you are focused on the road and that you will respond once you've reached your destination safely.
Phase two of the beta will commence in November, is fully customizable, and will include the following hands-free productivity features:
-- ZoomSafer Voice Safety Portal -- While driving with your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel you'll be able to use your voice to create, listen to, and reply to e-mails and text messages. You'll also be able to use your voice to update Twitter and Facebook as well as listen to additional content services such as new, weather, and sports feeds.
-- User defined inbound calling -- You'll have even more control to decide who can call you when you're driving.
-- ZoomRingers -- You'll be able to have your personal contacts record a ZoomRinger that plays when they call you. You will no longer have to look at your phone to know who is calling. If a call does not have a ZoomRinger associated with it, ZoomSafer will read the phone number to you.
-- Priority Text Messages and Emails -- When you receive a text message or e-mail from a Priority Contact, you will be told audibly about the message and asked whether you want to listen to it.
Individuals interested in participating in the beta can register at www.zoomsafer.com.
About ZoomSafer Inc.
ZoomSafer is the safest way to use your mobile phone while driving. We provide innovative mobile software and services to prevent distracted driving for the 20 million smart phone users including prosumers, small business users, families and young drivers, enterprises, and government organizations. For more information, or to download our media kit, please visit us on the web www.zoomsafer.com.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6044029&lang=en
SOURCE: ZoomSafer
Family, classmates gather at memorial for Stanley teen killed in wreck
From the The Gaston Gazette:
STANLEY — Nothing that’s ever flashed across a cell phone screen is worth her granddaughter’s life, Helen Anderson says, staring at smudges of paint on a gouged telephone pole.
Her 16-year-old “baby girl,” East Gaston High School junior Brittany Johnson, was likely distracted by text messages when her car ran off the road, overturned in a ditch and slid on its side to the wooden pole in front of a home on Mauney Road outside Stanley Sunday evening. Anderson wants to warn teenagers that digital distractions can be deadly.
“I hope they do learn a lesson and don’t put their families through what we’re going through right now,” Anderson said. “Don’t text and drive — it’s not that important. Whatever they have to say can wait 10 minutes until they stop.”
Johnson was driving toward Stanley in a 1997 Chevrolet Lumina when she lost control of the car. State troopers compared phone records with the time of impact and determined that she had received two text messages, sent one text and her phone had received an incoming call within one minute of the wreck.
“She wasn’t actually in the act of texting,” when her car ran off the road, said Sgt. John Brodhage of the N.C. Highway Patrol. “She had been texting while driving.”
Johnson’s car struck a ditch and flipped on its side 0.37 seconds after veering into the grass, according to Highway Patrol crash data. Brodhage said avoiding the spin was impossible.
“It was beyond human reaction time,” he said. “She couldn’t even react before she hit the ditch. It takes less than half a second to lose your life being distracted, and here’s the proof. Distracted driving is just as deadly as drunk driving.”
Trooper F.E. Odell said excessive speed isn’t believed to be a factor in the wreck. The posted speed limit on that stretch of Mauney Road is 35 mph.
On Monday afternoon, Anderson visited the site where her granddaughter was killed. Relatives, friends and classmates have built a makeshift memorial at the base of the telephone pole, with fresh flowers, a large teddy bear and a sign proclaiming that Johnson is loved and missed.
“She was my first grandchild,” Anderson said. “She was fun-loving. She was spirited and she liked to poke the hornet’s nest, but she was loving.”
Johnson planned to attend college and study for a career in the medical field, her grandmother said.
“She was a brilliant kid, an honor student,” said Anderson. “She got her As without even studying.”
Nearly two-dozen of Johnson’s classmates from East Gaston High visited the crash site memorial Monday afternoon. They stood in reverent silence as her boyfriend pinned a recent picture of the smiling teen to the telephone pole.
“Nobody ever disliked her,” said Cara Hardy, an East Gaston junior. “She was friends with everybody. She was an outgoing person.”
Added junior Wednesday Watkins: “She kept a smile on her face, and she didn’t let what people say bother her. I just miss her. She’s just the last person you would expect to be gone.”
The First Baptist Church of Stanley held a memorial service for Johnson on Monday evening. Dozens of relatives, friends and classmates packed the pews to pay their respects.
Stanley resident Elena Poteat was a first-grade teacher's assistant at Pinewood Elementary when she first met Johnson. Poteat's daughter and Johnson have been friends since first grade.
“She was a very beautiful and smart child,” Poteat said. “Our family's heart is broken. Brittany was an honors student at East Gaston, she had an outgoing personality and was loved by all.”
Poteat said Johnson was driving to see her boyfriend when she lost control of her car.
“Brittany was a joy to know and we, as well as all her friends at East Gaston, will miss her,” Poteat said. “It doesn't seem real that she is gone.”
After pleading with teens and young adults to eliminate electronic distractions while driving, Anderson directed a bit of advice to parents and grandparents: Give your young ones a tight squeeze.
“Hug them hard,” she said, “because you never know if they’re not coming back.”
STANLEY — Nothing that’s ever flashed across a cell phone screen is worth her granddaughter’s life, Helen Anderson says, staring at smudges of paint on a gouged telephone pole.
Her 16-year-old “baby girl,” East Gaston High School junior Brittany Johnson, was likely distracted by text messages when her car ran off the road, overturned in a ditch and slid on its side to the wooden pole in front of a home on Mauney Road outside Stanley Sunday evening. Anderson wants to warn teenagers that digital distractions can be deadly.
“I hope they do learn a lesson and don’t put their families through what we’re going through right now,” Anderson said. “Don’t text and drive — it’s not that important. Whatever they have to say can wait 10 minutes until they stop.”
Johnson was driving toward Stanley in a 1997 Chevrolet Lumina when she lost control of the car. State troopers compared phone records with the time of impact and determined that she had received two text messages, sent one text and her phone had received an incoming call within one minute of the wreck.
“She wasn’t actually in the act of texting,” when her car ran off the road, said Sgt. John Brodhage of the N.C. Highway Patrol. “She had been texting while driving.”
Johnson’s car struck a ditch and flipped on its side 0.37 seconds after veering into the grass, according to Highway Patrol crash data. Brodhage said avoiding the spin was impossible.
“It was beyond human reaction time,” he said. “She couldn’t even react before she hit the ditch. It takes less than half a second to lose your life being distracted, and here’s the proof. Distracted driving is just as deadly as drunk driving.”
Trooper F.E. Odell said excessive speed isn’t believed to be a factor in the wreck. The posted speed limit on that stretch of Mauney Road is 35 mph.
On Monday afternoon, Anderson visited the site where her granddaughter was killed. Relatives, friends and classmates have built a makeshift memorial at the base of the telephone pole, with fresh flowers, a large teddy bear and a sign proclaiming that Johnson is loved and missed.
“She was my first grandchild,” Anderson said. “She was fun-loving. She was spirited and she liked to poke the hornet’s nest, but she was loving.”
Johnson planned to attend college and study for a career in the medical field, her grandmother said.
“She was a brilliant kid, an honor student,” said Anderson. “She got her As without even studying.”
Nearly two-dozen of Johnson’s classmates from East Gaston High visited the crash site memorial Monday afternoon. They stood in reverent silence as her boyfriend pinned a recent picture of the smiling teen to the telephone pole.
“Nobody ever disliked her,” said Cara Hardy, an East Gaston junior. “She was friends with everybody. She was an outgoing person.”
Added junior Wednesday Watkins: “She kept a smile on her face, and she didn’t let what people say bother her. I just miss her. She’s just the last person you would expect to be gone.”
The First Baptist Church of Stanley held a memorial service for Johnson on Monday evening. Dozens of relatives, friends and classmates packed the pews to pay their respects.
Stanley resident Elena Poteat was a first-grade teacher's assistant at Pinewood Elementary when she first met Johnson. Poteat's daughter and Johnson have been friends since first grade.
“She was a very beautiful and smart child,” Poteat said. “Our family's heart is broken. Brittany was an honors student at East Gaston, she had an outgoing personality and was loved by all.”
Poteat said Johnson was driving to see her boyfriend when she lost control of her car.
“Brittany was a joy to know and we, as well as all her friends at East Gaston, will miss her,” Poteat said. “It doesn't seem real that she is gone.”
After pleading with teens and young adults to eliminate electronic distractions while driving, Anderson directed a bit of advice to parents and grandparents: Give your young ones a tight squeeze.
“Hug them hard,” she said, “because you never know if they’re not coming back.”
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Grapevine Woman Pushes For Warnings On Cell Phones
From The33TV.com:
"They can change the culture of cell phone use ... "
Grapevine - A Grapevine woman, whose mother was killed by a driver on a cell phone, wants wireless providers and cell phone makers to increase the warning on mobile products to improve safety and reduce highway deaths.
Jennifer Smith won't forget the phone call a year ago this week from her sister in Oklahoma telling her that their mother, 61-year old Linda Doyle, had been killed by a 20-year old man who ran a red light while talking on a his cell phone. "Everyday now I just wake up and want to make sure that no one gets a phone call like that". She was the biggest part of my life".
MORE: SAFETY CAMPAIGN
Studies show drivers distracted by cell phone use kill 2600 people every year. Smith says she blames the distracted driver for her Mom's death, along with his wireless carrier, Sprint. "There should be a black box warning on cell phones that say using the device while driving could injure or kill someone. They need to let people know the true dangers".
Experts say the cell phone dangers are real. Studies show drivers using phones are four times more likely to cause a crash, the same as someone considered intoxicated. Authorities say hands-free devices don't eliminate the risk.
Smith says the safety tips in user manuals, outlining how to drive and talk on a phone provided by Sprint and other companies aren't enough to improve safety. "It is like putting instructions on a liquor bottle about how to drink and drive safer. It doesn't make sense to me".
But, a spokesperson for Sprint, John Taylor, says the company already leads the way in educating customers by supplying safety tips, supporting bans on texting while driving and warning consumers about distracted driving. "What happened to Jennifer's mom is a tragedy, but it's up to drivers to change their behavior", says Taylor.
But smith says providers and makers can make all the difference. "A company just has to be bold enough to take a stand", says Smith.
"They can change the culture of cell phone use ... "
Grapevine - A Grapevine woman, whose mother was killed by a driver on a cell phone, wants wireless providers and cell phone makers to increase the warning on mobile products to improve safety and reduce highway deaths.
Jennifer Smith won't forget the phone call a year ago this week from her sister in Oklahoma telling her that their mother, 61-year old Linda Doyle, had been killed by a 20-year old man who ran a red light while talking on a his cell phone. "Everyday now I just wake up and want to make sure that no one gets a phone call like that". She was the biggest part of my life".
MORE: SAFETY CAMPAIGN
Studies show drivers distracted by cell phone use kill 2600 people every year. Smith says she blames the distracted driver for her Mom's death, along with his wireless carrier, Sprint. "There should be a black box warning on cell phones that say using the device while driving could injure or kill someone. They need to let people know the true dangers".
Experts say the cell phone dangers are real. Studies show drivers using phones are four times more likely to cause a crash, the same as someone considered intoxicated. Authorities say hands-free devices don't eliminate the risk.
Smith says the safety tips in user manuals, outlining how to drive and talk on a phone provided by Sprint and other companies aren't enough to improve safety. "It is like putting instructions on a liquor bottle about how to drink and drive safer. It doesn't make sense to me".
But, a spokesperson for Sprint, John Taylor, says the company already leads the way in educating customers by supplying safety tips, supporting bans on texting while driving and warning consumers about distracted driving. "What happened to Jennifer's mom is a tragedy, but it's up to drivers to change their behavior", says Taylor.
But smith says providers and makers can make all the difference. "A company just has to be bold enough to take a stand", says Smith.
Parents of kids killed by cell phone drivers speak out
From KDVR.com:
DENVER - "Don't talk, just drive." That's the theme of a new campaign kicked off in Colorado Monday.
The National Safety Council and State Patrol are trying to make us more aware of the dangers of cell phones behind the wheel.
It's pretty scary when you think about it. Two or three seconds during the time you look down at your cell phone at highway speeds and your car travels more than the length of a football field.
And while Colorado recently banned texting and driving, some parents who've lost their kids say that doesn't go far enough.
We saw plenty of downtown Denver drivers still on their cell phones Monday. This, despite the fact distracted driving is behind 80 percent of all crashes and cell phones are the number one distraction.
"Save a life hang up and drive your car," said Shelley Forney of Fort Collins who's nine year old daughter Erica was killed by a woman on a cell phone in December. "There's no call, there's no call that's important enough that you need to take it while you're driving."
Her daughter's death sparked her efforts to get a ban on cell phones while driving in Colorado.
"My 12 year old son Joe was killed by a cell driver, who ran a red light in Grand Rapids, Michigan," said Dave Teater, who turned his grief to lead the National Safety Council's campaign against cell phone use while driving.
To focus on the 636,000 crashes and 2600 deaths a year caused by those distracted behind the wheel.
"It's important to me to let people know that they have got to make that decision to stop," said Shelley Forney, "It takes a split second and someone's life is changed forever."
Her daughter's death resulted in a Colorado law passed in June banning texting and driving, and no cell phones for drivers under 18. But she wants to take it a step further.
"Your life will never be the same and it's all because of a split second choice to make a phone call and look away from the road and they can't do it they just can't do it," said Forney.
"The people in the school bus and the cars saw her talking on her cell phone and looking straight out the windshield," said Dave Teater of the driver in the accident that took his son's life.
"That's the power of the distraction of using a cell phone while driving. Our 12 year old son never recovered and was pronounced dead about 12 hours later," he said.
One of the members of the "Don't Talk Just Drive" campaign is riding his motorcycle across the country to share the grief of those two parents.
I talked to two local driving schools who both say it's more about the distraction that impedes your ability to drive whether it's the cell phone or anything else that takes your eyes off the road.
DENVER - "Don't talk, just drive." That's the theme of a new campaign kicked off in Colorado Monday.
The National Safety Council and State Patrol are trying to make us more aware of the dangers of cell phones behind the wheel.
It's pretty scary when you think about it. Two or three seconds during the time you look down at your cell phone at highway speeds and your car travels more than the length of a football field.
And while Colorado recently banned texting and driving, some parents who've lost their kids say that doesn't go far enough.
We saw plenty of downtown Denver drivers still on their cell phones Monday. This, despite the fact distracted driving is behind 80 percent of all crashes and cell phones are the number one distraction.
"Save a life hang up and drive your car," said Shelley Forney of Fort Collins who's nine year old daughter Erica was killed by a woman on a cell phone in December. "There's no call, there's no call that's important enough that you need to take it while you're driving."
Her daughter's death sparked her efforts to get a ban on cell phones while driving in Colorado.
"My 12 year old son Joe was killed by a cell driver, who ran a red light in Grand Rapids, Michigan," said Dave Teater, who turned his grief to lead the National Safety Council's campaign against cell phone use while driving.
To focus on the 636,000 crashes and 2600 deaths a year caused by those distracted behind the wheel.
"It's important to me to let people know that they have got to make that decision to stop," said Shelley Forney, "It takes a split second and someone's life is changed forever."
Her daughter's death resulted in a Colorado law passed in June banning texting and driving, and no cell phones for drivers under 18. But she wants to take it a step further.
"Your life will never be the same and it's all because of a split second choice to make a phone call and look away from the road and they can't do it they just can't do it," said Forney.
"The people in the school bus and the cars saw her talking on her cell phone and looking straight out the windshield," said Dave Teater of the driver in the accident that took his son's life.
"That's the power of the distraction of using a cell phone while driving. Our 12 year old son never recovered and was pronounced dead about 12 hours later," he said.
One of the members of the "Don't Talk Just Drive" campaign is riding his motorcycle across the country to share the grief of those two parents.
I talked to two local driving schools who both say it's more about the distraction that impedes your ability to drive whether it's the cell phone or anything else that takes your eyes off the road.
Carnegie Mellon Neuroscientist Uses Brain Imaging to Prove Cell Phones..
From Reuters:
Media Advisory: Carnegie Mellon Neuroscientist Uses Brain Imaging to Prove
Cell Phones Distract Drivers
Who: Marcel Just, the D.O. Hebb Professor of Psychology and director of the
Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging (http://www.ccbi.cmu.edu/index_main.htm) at
Carnegie Mellon University.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020422/CMULOGO )
What: Dialing, texting and otherwise using a cell phone is a distraction for
drivers and is causing many legislatures to consider laws restricting cell
phone use in cars. In August, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation announced
an upcoming summit for lawmakers and experts to discuss driving distractions
and whether banning or limiting cell phones while driving is necessary.
According to Carnegie Mellon neuroscientist Marcel Just, simply listening to
someone speak on the other end of a cell phone is enough to impair driving.
Just and his colleagues used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to
study volunteers using a driver simulator. When they were listening to a
sentence, they were more likely to weave in their lane than when they were
driving undisturbed. Furthermore, the fMRI scans showed that listening to
someone speak while they were driving reduced by 37 percent the amount of
brain activity associated with driving, compared to driving alone, as shown in
the accompanying graphic. This decrease in available brain resources can cause
drivers to commit the same types of driving errors that can occur under the
influence of alcohol.
Another study from Just's laboratory showed that subjects could not willfully
ignore someone speaking to them; the processing of a spoken message was so
automatic that it could not be gated out, and continued to affect the brain
activation associated with a second concurrent task. This study shows the
dangers of cell phone use by drivers can not be overcome by strategic control
of one's attention.
Just's research shows that making cell phones hands-free or voice-activated is
not sufficient in eliminating distractions to drivers. "Drivers need to keep
not only their hands on the wheel; they also have to keep their brains on the
road," Just said. "The clear implication of our work is that engaging in a
conversation could jeopardize the judgment and reaction time if an atypical or
unusual driving situation arose. Driving in quick-moving traffic is no place
for an involved personal or business discussion, let alone texting."
Why: Just is a pioneer in using brain imaging to discover how humans perform
mental tasks and has testified in front of the Pennsylvania General Assembly's
House Transportation Committee on the dangers of hand-held phones and driving.
His brain research also includes identifying the "team play" among different
brain areas -- a theory that explains how the brain compensates for damage
from injuries such as stroke by recruiting back-up players. Additionally,
Just and his colleague Tom Mitchell used brain imaging to identify the content
of thoughts of concrete objects, being able for the first time to read the
minds of people in their scanner. A January 2009 "60 Minutes" report featured
Just and Mitchell demonstrating and explaining their thought identification
work.
Contact: Phone or live, on-camera interviews with Just can be scheduled by
contacting Shilo Raube at 412-268-6094 or sraube@andrew.cmu.edu.
About Carnegie Mellon: Carnegie Mellon (www.cmu.edu) is a private,
internationally ranked research university with programs in areas ranging from
science, technology and business, to public policy, the humanities and the
fine arts. More than 11,000 students in the university's seven schools and
colleges benefit from a small student-to-faculty ratio and an education
characterized by its focus on creating and implementing solutions for real
problems, interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. A global university,
Carnegie Mellon's main campus in the United States is in Pittsburgh, Pa. It
has campuses in California's Silicon Valley and Qatar, and programs in Asia,
Australia and Europe. The university is in the midst of a $1 billion
comprehensive campaign, titled "Inspire Innovation: The Campaign for Carnegie
Mellon University," which aims to build its endowment, support faculty,
students and innovative research, and enhance the physical campus with
equipment and facility improvements. For more about Carnegie Mellon, visit
http://www.cmu.edu/about/
/PRNewswire -- Sept. 4/
SOURCE Carnegie Mellon University
Shilo Raube of Carnegie Mellon, +1-412-268-6094, sraube@andrew.cmu.edu
Media Advisory: Carnegie Mellon Neuroscientist Uses Brain Imaging to Prove
Cell Phones Distract Drivers
Who: Marcel Just, the D.O. Hebb Professor of Psychology and director of the
Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging (http://www.ccbi.cmu.edu/index_main.htm) at
Carnegie Mellon University.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020422/CMULOGO )
What: Dialing, texting and otherwise using a cell phone is a distraction for
drivers and is causing many legislatures to consider laws restricting cell
phone use in cars. In August, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation announced
an upcoming summit for lawmakers and experts to discuss driving distractions
and whether banning or limiting cell phones while driving is necessary.
According to Carnegie Mellon neuroscientist Marcel Just, simply listening to
someone speak on the other end of a cell phone is enough to impair driving.
Just and his colleagues used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to
study volunteers using a driver simulator. When they were listening to a
sentence, they were more likely to weave in their lane than when they were
driving undisturbed. Furthermore, the fMRI scans showed that listening to
someone speak while they were driving reduced by 37 percent the amount of
brain activity associated with driving, compared to driving alone, as shown in
the accompanying graphic. This decrease in available brain resources can cause
drivers to commit the same types of driving errors that can occur under the
influence of alcohol.
Another study from Just's laboratory showed that subjects could not willfully
ignore someone speaking to them; the processing of a spoken message was so
automatic that it could not be gated out, and continued to affect the brain
activation associated with a second concurrent task. This study shows the
dangers of cell phone use by drivers can not be overcome by strategic control
of one's attention.
Just's research shows that making cell phones hands-free or voice-activated is
not sufficient in eliminating distractions to drivers. "Drivers need to keep
not only their hands on the wheel; they also have to keep their brains on the
road," Just said. "The clear implication of our work is that engaging in a
conversation could jeopardize the judgment and reaction time if an atypical or
unusual driving situation arose. Driving in quick-moving traffic is no place
for an involved personal or business discussion, let alone texting."
Why: Just is a pioneer in using brain imaging to discover how humans perform
mental tasks and has testified in front of the Pennsylvania General Assembly's
House Transportation Committee on the dangers of hand-held phones and driving.
His brain research also includes identifying the "team play" among different
brain areas -- a theory that explains how the brain compensates for damage
from injuries such as stroke by recruiting back-up players. Additionally,
Just and his colleague Tom Mitchell used brain imaging to identify the content
of thoughts of concrete objects, being able for the first time to read the
minds of people in their scanner. A January 2009 "60 Minutes" report featured
Just and Mitchell demonstrating and explaining their thought identification
work.
Contact: Phone or live, on-camera interviews with Just can be scheduled by
contacting Shilo Raube at 412-268-6094 or sraube@andrew.cmu.edu.
About Carnegie Mellon: Carnegie Mellon (www.cmu.edu) is a private,
internationally ranked research university with programs in areas ranging from
science, technology and business, to public policy, the humanities and the
fine arts. More than 11,000 students in the university's seven schools and
colleges benefit from a small student-to-faculty ratio and an education
characterized by its focus on creating and implementing solutions for real
problems, interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. A global university,
Carnegie Mellon's main campus in the United States is in Pittsburgh, Pa. It
has campuses in California's Silicon Valley and Qatar, and programs in Asia,
Australia and Europe. The university is in the midst of a $1 billion
comprehensive campaign, titled "Inspire Innovation: The Campaign for Carnegie
Mellon University," which aims to build its endowment, support faculty,
students and innovative research, and enhance the physical campus with
equipment and facility improvements. For more about Carnegie Mellon, visit
http://www.cmu.edu/about/
/PRNewswire -- Sept. 4/
SOURCE Carnegie Mellon University
Shilo Raube of Carnegie Mellon, +1-412-268-6094, sraube@andrew.cmu.edu
Friday, September 4, 2009
Reno school in report saying drivers too distracted through school zones
From RGJ.com:
One in six American drivers are distracted as they drive through school zones, according to a report from a non-profit group that promotes ways to protect children.
Pine Middle School in Reno was one of 20 schools used nationally in the survey by Safe Kids and the safety was slightly better there than the national average, said Melissa Krall, Safe Kids Washoe County coordinator.
Krall was one the people out counting drivers for the 40,000 surveys used for the report released Wednesday. Some things surprised her.
“They were being conscious as they came through the school zone with their kid, but they turned to the distractions like cell phone use or eating as soon as they dropped their kids off,” Krall said.
She saw drivers with multiple distractions, such as reaching for something in the vehicle while holding coffee.
“You wonder at that point how to concentrate on the road at all,” she said
And drivers were more likely to be distracted in the afternoon pick up than the morning drop off, she said.
“I personally expected people to be more distracted in the morning with people eating in the car,” Krall said. But in the afternoon, “families are in a hurry to get to soccer
practice, to get home and do homework, to get to the grocery store. There’s just a lot of natural distractions every day in life.”
Women were 21 percent more likely to be distracted than men, the report said. The most distracted drivers were women driving trucks, sport utility vehicles or minivans. The least distracted drivers were men in cars.
The most common distractions were cell phones or other electronics, followed by eating, drinking or smoking, then reaching or looking behind the seat, then grooming and finally reading.
One in six American drivers are distracted as they drive through school zones, according to a report from a non-profit group that promotes ways to protect children.
Pine Middle School in Reno was one of 20 schools used nationally in the survey by Safe Kids and the safety was slightly better there than the national average, said Melissa Krall, Safe Kids Washoe County coordinator.
Krall was one the people out counting drivers for the 40,000 surveys used for the report released Wednesday. Some things surprised her.
“They were being conscious as they came through the school zone with their kid, but they turned to the distractions like cell phone use or eating as soon as they dropped their kids off,” Krall said.
She saw drivers with multiple distractions, such as reaching for something in the vehicle while holding coffee.
“You wonder at that point how to concentrate on the road at all,” she said
And drivers were more likely to be distracted in the afternoon pick up than the morning drop off, she said.
“I personally expected people to be more distracted in the morning with people eating in the car,” Krall said. But in the afternoon, “families are in a hurry to get to soccer
practice, to get home and do homework, to get to the grocery store. There’s just a lot of natural distractions every day in life.”
Women were 21 percent more likely to be distracted than men, the report said. The most distracted drivers were women driving trucks, sport utility vehicles or minivans. The least distracted drivers were men in cars.
The most common distractions were cell phones or other electronics, followed by eating, drinking or smoking, then reaching or looking behind the seat, then grooming and finally reading.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Eliminate an inhibitor: Ban driving while talking on cell phones
From The Daily Iowan:
You’re at a stop light, and your phone rings. It’s your father. The light changes to green, and you accelerate. The next thing you know, you’re blind-sided by another driver. Unfortunately, this scenario has become all too common since the rise of cell phones.
On Monday, the Governor’s Highway Safety Association announced its support for banning text messaging while driving in all motor vehicles.
Iowa should go even further.
Six states have banned hand-held cell phone use for all drivers, according to the nonprofit governors’ group. Eighteen states prohibit text messaging while driving. Late last month, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., proposed a bill that would ban cell-phone use among drivers in all 50 states. If federal legislation passes, state action would be moot. If the federal legislation isn’t approved, the state should consider its own expansive cell-phone ban to prevent Iowans from becoming just another dire statistic in this growing problem. The propensity for accidents is just too high. Drunk driving alone kills too many; we don’t need an additional driving inhibitor.
On this issue, the statistics back up the common sense, with research consistently showing that cell-phone use is dangerous for drivers. A University of Utah study found that talking on the phone while driving causes the same impairment as driving drunk. The comparison may seem hyperbolic to some, but it underscores the potentially fatal nature of the driving distraction. A similar study conducted by the Virginia-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that people using a cell phone while driving were four times more likely to get in an accident. Texting increases the crash risk or the risk of a near-crash by 23 times, the group found.
Closer to home, Johnson County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek said a countywide prohibition wouldn’t work in a “legal, technical sense.” In order for any ordinance of this kind to pass, all the city councils of the county would have to approve the ban. The county Board of Supervisors would then have to pass the same ordinance for the unincorporated areas of the county.
“I don’t think that is even possible,” Pulkrabek said.
A statewide approach is more likely. Indeed, several state lawmakers — including Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City — have proposed legislation that would bar drivers from using cell phones or other hand-held devices while operating a vehicle. Bolkcom’s bill, which will still be active when the Iowa Legislature reconvenes in January, would exempt hand-held devices from such a ban.
Pulkrabek said that banning drivers from using cell phones would be difficult to enforce, and certain exceptions must be made. The issue of texting “would be the most important,” he said.
As Bolkcom told the DI, now it’s just up to the legislators to see the evidence and go to their constituents with the facts. While civil-liberty activists may have reasonable objections, a cell-phone ban would improve the safety of all drivers. In this case, individual actions can lead to disastrous consequences for others. All the reason to quash these distractions and crack down on such safety hazards.
Driving is difficult and requires acute awareness of one’s surroundings. We have all but taken for granted this daily activity as rudimentary and simple. But when texting and cell phone use enters the equation, tragedies can happen.
You’re at a stop light, and your phone rings. It’s your father. The light changes to green, and you accelerate. The next thing you know, you’re blind-sided by another driver. Unfortunately, this scenario has become all too common since the rise of cell phones.
On Monday, the Governor’s Highway Safety Association announced its support for banning text messaging while driving in all motor vehicles.
Iowa should go even further.
Six states have banned hand-held cell phone use for all drivers, according to the nonprofit governors’ group. Eighteen states prohibit text messaging while driving. Late last month, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., proposed a bill that would ban cell-phone use among drivers in all 50 states. If federal legislation passes, state action would be moot. If the federal legislation isn’t approved, the state should consider its own expansive cell-phone ban to prevent Iowans from becoming just another dire statistic in this growing problem. The propensity for accidents is just too high. Drunk driving alone kills too many; we don’t need an additional driving inhibitor.
On this issue, the statistics back up the common sense, with research consistently showing that cell-phone use is dangerous for drivers. A University of Utah study found that talking on the phone while driving causes the same impairment as driving drunk. The comparison may seem hyperbolic to some, but it underscores the potentially fatal nature of the driving distraction. A similar study conducted by the Virginia-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that people using a cell phone while driving were four times more likely to get in an accident. Texting increases the crash risk or the risk of a near-crash by 23 times, the group found.
Closer to home, Johnson County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek said a countywide prohibition wouldn’t work in a “legal, technical sense.” In order for any ordinance of this kind to pass, all the city councils of the county would have to approve the ban. The county Board of Supervisors would then have to pass the same ordinance for the unincorporated areas of the county.
“I don’t think that is even possible,” Pulkrabek said.
A statewide approach is more likely. Indeed, several state lawmakers — including Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City — have proposed legislation that would bar drivers from using cell phones or other hand-held devices while operating a vehicle. Bolkcom’s bill, which will still be active when the Iowa Legislature reconvenes in January, would exempt hand-held devices from such a ban.
Pulkrabek said that banning drivers from using cell phones would be difficult to enforce, and certain exceptions must be made. The issue of texting “would be the most important,” he said.
As Bolkcom told the DI, now it’s just up to the legislators to see the evidence and go to their constituents with the facts. While civil-liberty activists may have reasonable objections, a cell-phone ban would improve the safety of all drivers. In this case, individual actions can lead to disastrous consequences for others. All the reason to quash these distractions and crack down on such safety hazards.
Driving is difficult and requires acute awareness of one’s surroundings. We have all but taken for granted this daily activity as rudimentary and simple. But when texting and cell phone use enters the equation, tragedies can happen.
Saskatchewan plans to ban texting, talking while driving: Premier Brad Wall
From The Star Phoenix:
Regina driving instructor Debbie Wollbaum applauds the Saskatchewan Party government’s plans to introduce legislation banning the use of handheld electronic devices to text or talk while driving.
“No matter how efficient you are with texting or dialing the number, you still have to take your eyes off the road and one second can make the difference between avoiding a serious collision or not,’’ Wollbaum said.
“So I think it is a very good idea. There are a lot of distractions in our cars these days.’’
Premier Brad Wall said Tuesday that he has directed Justice Minister Don Morgan to bring back options to curtail the growing problem of distracted driving so the government can move the legislation through in the fall session.
“There are compelling, true-life tragedies of, especially, young people, who weren’t drinking and driving, but whose lives were lost because of texting and driving,’’ Wall told The StarPhoenix on Tuesday. “It’s serious and more and more people seem to be doing it.
“We would be looking at a ban on texting and cell use, but not on hands-free (phones). We’re not going to ban cell use completely but, certainly, we want to encourage hands-free, which most people do now, I think, as a matter of course when they’re driving.’’
Wall was responding to Saskatoon Police Chief Clive Weighill’s call for a ban. Weighill cited the growing number of collisions in Saskatoon in the past six months linked to bad driving habits to support a ban on texting while driving.
Regina Police Chief Troy Hagen, who supports the idea in principle, said the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police would be very interested in working with the government to explore possible legislative solutions in terms of some new legislation to address this issue.
The Saskatchewan Safety Council and the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association also endorsed plans to introduce a ban on the use of handheld electronic devices to text or talk while driving.
“We support anything that will reduce distractions while driving, and obviously (handheld) cellphone use and texting while you are driving falls into that category,’’ said Harley Toupin with the Safety Council.
Association spokesman Marc Choma said the industry believes a driver’s job is to focus on driving and has a dedicated website (www.focusondriving.ca) aimed at promoting the safe use of hands-free cellphones.
“If a driver does have to make a call or answer a call, certainly hands-free devices are a very good tool to manage that because it allows you to keep both eyes on the road and both hands on the wheel. It is pretty good safety advice whether you are using a cellphone or not,’’ Choma said.
British Columbia announced last week that it plans to ban texting while driving. The legislation would also prohibit probationary drivers from talking on their cellphones, while experienced drivers would be limited to the use of hands-free telephones.
Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland & Labrador have passed laws prohibiting the use of hand-held cellphones while driving. Ontario’s legislation takes effect in October and carries penalties of fines up to $500. Alberta, Manitoba and Prince Edwards Island are considering similar bans.
While the province is looking at enforcement as a deterrent, Wall said the province must continue to tackle the problem through advertising campaigns and public education, particularly in high schools.
“I don’t think we should stop at public service announcements or advertisements. I think we need to be in high schools with the message, especially with texting,’’ Wall said.
“Increasingly ... there is a greater propensity to text than there is to call.’’
But Choma noted it isn’t only cellphones that are distracting drivers. Drivers need to be educated about curbing those bad driving habits, “those commonsense things you can’t legislate,’’ he said.
Regina driving instructor Debbie Wollbaum applauds the Saskatchewan Party government’s plans to introduce legislation banning the use of handheld electronic devices to text or talk while driving.
“No matter how efficient you are with texting or dialing the number, you still have to take your eyes off the road and one second can make the difference between avoiding a serious collision or not,’’ Wollbaum said.
“So I think it is a very good idea. There are a lot of distractions in our cars these days.’’
Premier Brad Wall said Tuesday that he has directed Justice Minister Don Morgan to bring back options to curtail the growing problem of distracted driving so the government can move the legislation through in the fall session.
“There are compelling, true-life tragedies of, especially, young people, who weren’t drinking and driving, but whose lives were lost because of texting and driving,’’ Wall told The StarPhoenix on Tuesday. “It’s serious and more and more people seem to be doing it.
“We would be looking at a ban on texting and cell use, but not on hands-free (phones). We’re not going to ban cell use completely but, certainly, we want to encourage hands-free, which most people do now, I think, as a matter of course when they’re driving.’’
Wall was responding to Saskatoon Police Chief Clive Weighill’s call for a ban. Weighill cited the growing number of collisions in Saskatoon in the past six months linked to bad driving habits to support a ban on texting while driving.
Regina Police Chief Troy Hagen, who supports the idea in principle, said the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police would be very interested in working with the government to explore possible legislative solutions in terms of some new legislation to address this issue.
The Saskatchewan Safety Council and the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association also endorsed plans to introduce a ban on the use of handheld electronic devices to text or talk while driving.
“We support anything that will reduce distractions while driving, and obviously (handheld) cellphone use and texting while you are driving falls into that category,’’ said Harley Toupin with the Safety Council.
Association spokesman Marc Choma said the industry believes a driver’s job is to focus on driving and has a dedicated website (www.focusondriving.ca) aimed at promoting the safe use of hands-free cellphones.
“If a driver does have to make a call or answer a call, certainly hands-free devices are a very good tool to manage that because it allows you to keep both eyes on the road and both hands on the wheel. It is pretty good safety advice whether you are using a cellphone or not,’’ Choma said.
British Columbia announced last week that it plans to ban texting while driving. The legislation would also prohibit probationary drivers from talking on their cellphones, while experienced drivers would be limited to the use of hands-free telephones.
Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland & Labrador have passed laws prohibiting the use of hand-held cellphones while driving. Ontario’s legislation takes effect in October and carries penalties of fines up to $500. Alberta, Manitoba and Prince Edwards Island are considering similar bans.
While the province is looking at enforcement as a deterrent, Wall said the province must continue to tackle the problem through advertising campaigns and public education, particularly in high schools.
“I don’t think we should stop at public service announcements or advertisements. I think we need to be in high schools with the message, especially with texting,’’ Wall said.
“Increasingly ... there is a greater propensity to text than there is to call.’’
But Choma noted it isn’t only cellphones that are distracting drivers. Drivers need to be educated about curbing those bad driving habits, “those commonsense things you can’t legislate,’’ he said.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Use of Thumbs Confounds Use of Sense
From The New York Times:
By CLYDE HABERMAN
Published: August 31, 2009
People who text while driving are routinely accused of posing as grave a danger to themselves and to others as people who drive when they are plastered. This may qualify as a slur against drunks. Studies like one done by the University of Utah show that, if anything, texters behind the wheel are greater menaces.
Many New Yorkers thus found reason to cheer a few days ago. Gov. David A. Paterson signed legislation that, beginning Nov. 1, will make it illegal in New York — as it is in more than a dozen other states — for anyone to drive and text, be it on a cellphone, BlackBerry or any other portable electronic gizmo.
If any law may be described as a no-brainer, this one is it. You have to be certifiable to think that you can stare at a small screen and thumb-type on a tiny keyboard for five or six seconds while going 65 miles an hour, and not be a potential threat to everyone in your path. In the opinion of many safety experts, self-deluding multitaskers have had their way long enough. It’s time for some multi-tsking to rein them in.
Whether the New York law will do that is a question. It doesn’t throw the book at texters so much as it tosses a few pages in their direction.
The maximum penalty is a fine of $150. That’s a far cry from the no-nonsense approach taken by Utah. There, a texting driver can get as much as a $750 fine and three months in jail; if injury or death is involved, the penalties can go as high as a $10,000 fine and 15 years in prison.
Also, New York’s texting ban will receive what is known as “secondary” enforcement. In other words, unlike the situation with an offense labeled “primary,” a fine may be imposed only if the police find some other violation, like speeding or running a red light.
“There’s a feeling among some that secondary enforcement is O.K.,” said Judith Lee Stone, the president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, which is based in Washington and describes itself as an alliance of consumer and health groups and insurance companies. “But secondary enforcement is not O.K., and there’s no reason for it.”
Assemblyman David F. Gantt, a Democrat from Rochester who was a sponsor of this legislation, defended its penalties. “How much tougher do we want to make it?” he said. “I’d hate to put someone in jail when we’re not sure if they were texting or not.” It does not mean that primary enforcement has been ruled out forever, Mr. Gantt added. “Believe me, we’re taking a look at it,” he said.
SOME in Albany say, not without reason, that it isn’t easy to prove that a driver has texted illicitly without another offense taking place. It is probably harder for a police officer to spot a texter than it is to catch someone yakking on a cellphone at the wheel. And we all know how spotty the enforcement of existing bans on cellphone use are.
That said, it is often a struggle in car-worshipping America to convince state or federal lawmakers that certain restrictions imposed on drivers are sensible, even essential. “The attitude we see in legislatures is that some people are really just not interested in having government in their faces,” Ms. Stone said. “They say, ‘What’s next?’ ”
In this regard, New York is no exception. Tough tactics in the name of auto safety tend to come slowly.
Until four years ago, drunken drivers who killed people in crashes were able to avoid vehicular manslaughter charges unless a secondary factor like speeding could be proved. Death and injury aside, drunken drivers infrequently land behind bars in New York State. Of the 27,660 such drivers who were found guilty last year, only 1,124, or 4 percent, went to prison or to jail, according to the state’s Division of Criminal Justice Services.
The ban on cellphone use while driving is watered down. It applies only to hand-held phones. Never mind the research that shows how talking on hands-free devices can be as much of a potentially lethal distraction.
Even the New York law requiring seat belts in cars evolved slowly. Like the new ban on texting, it initially received secondary enforcement. In time, it was elevated to primary status.
By now, seat-belt requirements are second nature to New Yorkers, as they are everywhere in this country except New Hampshire, which does not impose a seat-belt mandate on anyone over 18.
It must be that “Live Free or Die” spirit, no?
“Live free and die, I’d say,” Ms. Stone said.
By CLYDE HABERMAN
Published: August 31, 2009
People who text while driving are routinely accused of posing as grave a danger to themselves and to others as people who drive when they are plastered. This may qualify as a slur against drunks. Studies like one done by the University of Utah show that, if anything, texters behind the wheel are greater menaces.
Many New Yorkers thus found reason to cheer a few days ago. Gov. David A. Paterson signed legislation that, beginning Nov. 1, will make it illegal in New York — as it is in more than a dozen other states — for anyone to drive and text, be it on a cellphone, BlackBerry or any other portable electronic gizmo.
If any law may be described as a no-brainer, this one is it. You have to be certifiable to think that you can stare at a small screen and thumb-type on a tiny keyboard for five or six seconds while going 65 miles an hour, and not be a potential threat to everyone in your path. In the opinion of many safety experts, self-deluding multitaskers have had their way long enough. It’s time for some multi-tsking to rein them in.
Whether the New York law will do that is a question. It doesn’t throw the book at texters so much as it tosses a few pages in their direction.
The maximum penalty is a fine of $150. That’s a far cry from the no-nonsense approach taken by Utah. There, a texting driver can get as much as a $750 fine and three months in jail; if injury or death is involved, the penalties can go as high as a $10,000 fine and 15 years in prison.
Also, New York’s texting ban will receive what is known as “secondary” enforcement. In other words, unlike the situation with an offense labeled “primary,” a fine may be imposed only if the police find some other violation, like speeding or running a red light.
“There’s a feeling among some that secondary enforcement is O.K.,” said Judith Lee Stone, the president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, which is based in Washington and describes itself as an alliance of consumer and health groups and insurance companies. “But secondary enforcement is not O.K., and there’s no reason for it.”
Assemblyman David F. Gantt, a Democrat from Rochester who was a sponsor of this legislation, defended its penalties. “How much tougher do we want to make it?” he said. “I’d hate to put someone in jail when we’re not sure if they were texting or not.” It does not mean that primary enforcement has been ruled out forever, Mr. Gantt added. “Believe me, we’re taking a look at it,” he said.
SOME in Albany say, not without reason, that it isn’t easy to prove that a driver has texted illicitly without another offense taking place. It is probably harder for a police officer to spot a texter than it is to catch someone yakking on a cellphone at the wheel. And we all know how spotty the enforcement of existing bans on cellphone use are.
That said, it is often a struggle in car-worshipping America to convince state or federal lawmakers that certain restrictions imposed on drivers are sensible, even essential. “The attitude we see in legislatures is that some people are really just not interested in having government in their faces,” Ms. Stone said. “They say, ‘What’s next?’ ”
In this regard, New York is no exception. Tough tactics in the name of auto safety tend to come slowly.
Until four years ago, drunken drivers who killed people in crashes were able to avoid vehicular manslaughter charges unless a secondary factor like speeding could be proved. Death and injury aside, drunken drivers infrequently land behind bars in New York State. Of the 27,660 such drivers who were found guilty last year, only 1,124, or 4 percent, went to prison or to jail, according to the state’s Division of Criminal Justice Services.
The ban on cellphone use while driving is watered down. It applies only to hand-held phones. Never mind the research that shows how talking on hands-free devices can be as much of a potentially lethal distraction.
Even the New York law requiring seat belts in cars evolved slowly. Like the new ban on texting, it initially received secondary enforcement. In time, it was elevated to primary status.
By now, seat-belt requirements are second nature to New Yorkers, as they are everywhere in this country except New Hampshire, which does not impose a seat-belt mandate on anyone over 18.
It must be that “Live Free or Die” spirit, no?
“Live free and die, I’d say,” Ms. Stone said.
$18M Awarded in Cell-Phone Driving Crash
From Courhouse News:
ST. LOUIS (CN) - A federal judge ordered a truck driver and his company to pay $18 million to a man and wife for an accident that left the husband unable to walk or talk. Truck driver Jeffrey Knight became distracted by reaching for a cell phone and his tractor-trailer plowed into stopped vehicles, killing three and injuring 14, police said.
The accident left Mark Tiburzi, 53, under constant care of a nursing home and unable to walk or talk. Tiburzi was awarded $13.8 million and his wife, Cheryl, an additional $4.2 million. The couple has two children and one grandchild.
Knight, 49, and his company Holmes Transport, of Muscle Shoals, Ala., were ordered to pay the damages by U.S. District Judge David D. Noce.
Police said Knight was distracted by reaching for a cell phone when his tractor-trailer piled into stopped vehicles on a St. Louis highway on July 15, 2008. Knight is facing trial in St. Louis County Court on involuntary manslaughter charges. At least two other families have civil suits pending against Knight and Holmes Transport.
ST. LOUIS (CN) - A federal judge ordered a truck driver and his company to pay $18 million to a man and wife for an accident that left the husband unable to walk or talk. Truck driver Jeffrey Knight became distracted by reaching for a cell phone and his tractor-trailer plowed into stopped vehicles, killing three and injuring 14, police said.
The accident left Mark Tiburzi, 53, under constant care of a nursing home and unable to walk or talk. Tiburzi was awarded $13.8 million and his wife, Cheryl, an additional $4.2 million. The couple has two children and one grandchild.
Knight, 49, and his company Holmes Transport, of Muscle Shoals, Ala., were ordered to pay the damages by U.S. District Judge David D. Noce.
Police said Knight was distracted by reaching for a cell phone when his tractor-trailer piled into stopped vehicles on a St. Louis highway on July 15, 2008. Knight is facing trial in St. Louis County Court on involuntary manslaughter charges. At least two other families have civil suits pending against Knight and Holmes Transport.
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