KING 5 News – by Jake Whittenberg
A new proposal being considered by Washington State lawmakers aims to strengthen distracted driving laws.
The bill, sponsored by State Rep. Jessyn Farrell, D-Seattle, and Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La Center, would further clarify the existing law which makes it illegal to text while driving. It proposes making it illegal to even touch your phone.
“We need to stigmatize driving while under the influence of electronics”, said Farrell. “It’s about making a cultural shift, and I think we need to see how a first step like this bill actually changes behavior.”
Under her proposal, the fines would also be increased from $124 to $350, and the second violation would be reported to your insurance company.
New research suggests even controlling your phone for two seconds while driving is enough to distract you from being safe behind the wheel. The National Safety Council reports a 9% increase in distracted driving deaths in 2015.
Copyright 2016 KING
http://www.king5.com/news/local/lawmakers-want-to-strengthen-distracted-driving-laws/384721693
Texting while driving is indeed a stupid thing to do (unless you’re sitting at a red light or stuck in a traffic jam). However, I don’t see how talking on the phone while driving is any different from talking to passengers. If anything, I’d think the latter would be more distracting than having a phone conversation.
Besides, there are plenty of things other than cell phones that can distract drivers. Playing with the radio. Eating food. A hot woman walking down the sidewalk (that’s caused me to have a close call on more than one occasion). Billboards. A wasp caught inside the car. Are they going to outlaw all these things, too?
“…we need to see how a first step like this bill actually changes behavior.”
Our “government” is increasingly in the business of changing behavior because they’re accustomed to ruling a population of sheep that’s easily led around by the nose, so they naturally practice behaviorism rather than actually respond to what the people want.
They used to simply changing what you want through media conditioning.
just another way to put their blue army in your face, and to put the blue army in harms way..
provocation
I’m a 74 year retiree.
1) I have no idea how to text, but have held a driver’s license for 57 years without a single wreck.
2) I have a cheap TracFone which costs $20 for 3 months that I have turned off in the glove compartment for calling the Automobile Association when I break down. Sometimes I forget to bring it in the house to recharge after it’s been laying there for 6 months and the battery is dead.
3) I use my landline desk phone (no voice answering machine) about 4 times a month. Call the doctor or dentist for an appointment.
Why do the millennials need to “reach-out” constantly? Is the current generation so insecure that they must bullshit 24/7?
“Under her proposal, the fines would also be increased from $124 to $350,…”
Its all about the safety of the ‘citizens’.
They’re only ‘here to help’.