Texting While Driving

[Greenleaf]

Mother-in Law is dead as she was texing and attempting to drive. She killed herself and injured another (truck driver). I don't mind folks doing dumb things, but when you injur another, then it becomes really sad.



It wasn't tough for the Highway Patrol to discover what she was doing as she swapped lanes and ran head-long into a moving truck. She was trapped inside what remained of the car and died there. They couldn't free her from the wreckage. Hell of a way to expire.



Now my wife has to deal with all this stuff as she is benefactor.

 

[GCroyle]

Greenleaf,



Please accept my condolences to you and your entire family for your tragic loss. And please accept my thanks for sharing and giving a personal testimonial to this needless and avoidable tragedy. I see it too frequently on the road also.



Best wishes to you and yours.



Gary

 

[JJPage]

Greenleaf,

Sorry for your loss, I'll pray for your Wife, losing a Mother has got to be tough no matter the circumstance.

These mobile communication devices cause many problems on the roadways, and even sidewalks and grocery stores, when folks are so busy talking or texting they become an obstacle for everyone else.

Jess

 

[jgillott]

I am truly sorry for your loss. Please share the support from the TDR community with her.

 

[Greenleaf]

Thank-you all.

 

[Wayne M.]

Prayers sent... In my neck of the woods theyre talking about going after WALKING while texting. I'm guilty of that time to time... These devices are our runation...

 

[BIGNASTY]

Sad to hear!!!! but this is NOT GOING TO STOP until they come up with a way to make cell phones NOT WORK with the car running. You cant tell me that some BIG BRAIN out there cant do it. Same with high speed chase with all the electronic gear in the cars push a button and it scrambles the brain of the car and it stops along with others but better than having this tragedy happen again and again and again.

 

[Missouri Mule]

Or make them like GPS (top models) to take voice commands so you concentrate on what your doing like driving,crossing the street...



Sorry for your wife's and your loss Greenleaf.

 

[Tractorat]

Its not just texting. I used to know a guy whose mother in law was driving down a residential street and took her eyes off the road to change the radio station. Ran into a parked car and was killed.

 

[HOBrian]

Sorry to hear about your loss! Prayers sent.

 

[Yo Hoot]

I am so sorry to hear this Scott.

Just yesterday I was next to a woman who was driving while holding her phone in the center of the steering wheel. I hollered "Put your phone down, you're gonna kill somebody or yourself". She put it down. Maybe she'll feel more guilty about it in the future. She won't forget me that's for sure.

One of the big problems today is political correctness and the concern that you might tread on somebody. People need to speak up and not look the other way. The cops aren't doing anything anymore around here.
At the same time you invite a confrontation which is risky. I typically don't holler at anyone but that was so blatant and I was right next to her going down a 4 lane road.

We lost our 20 year old daughter last July. (not by texting) It's not easy losing a loved one. Those who haven't experienced it often don't know what to say or do. That's ok.

Thank you for posting it publicly. Hopefully it will add awareness to a subject that really needs it.

Here's more OHIO deaths due to texting. .
I did a search and the list kept growing. I stopped looking as there are many many more.

http://www.local12.com/content/brea...To-Deadly-Milford/punryBlAbEK0VWlm6AxGAg.cspx
http://www.dispatch.com/content/blogs/crawlumbus/2012/08/dot-video.html
http://ridgefield.patch.com/article...eath-of-jogger-and-arrest-of-16-year-old-girl
http://www.whas11.com/news/local/Ohio-man-sentenced-to-3-12-years-165719916.html
http://www.sanduskyregister.com/vermilion/news/texting-eyed-factor-fatal-vermilion-crash
http://autos.aol.com/article/teen-dies-while-texting-the-dangers-of-texting/
http://www.emsworld.com/news/10758035/texting-ohio-man-jailed-for-fatal-crash

Mike

 

[Greenleaf]

Wow. There are some really sad stories there... ... ... ...

 

[EGroeneveld]

So sad, cars keep getting safer and safer yet driver keep doing things so proventable.



I do NOT touch my phone when driving. I don't answer it, I don't look at it.



My sister in law got a new nose from a guy talking on a cell phone that crashed into her a few years back... .

 

[rscurtis]

Your first sentence defines the problem. Consequences are being removed from bad behavior, so it continues to increase. Put a 6" spike in the center of the steering wheel and watch how fast driving behavior improves.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Your first sentence defines the problem. Consequences are being removed from bad behavior, so it continues to increase. Put a 6" spike in the center of the steering wheel and watch how fast driving behavior improves.

:-laf Certainly TAIL GATEING would be eliminated wouldn't it???

 

[jgillott]

I just read this research study on text message and cell phone use over the last two reporting years 2010-2011.

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Cell-Phone-Texting-2011/Main-Report.aspx

It's worth reading over some of these charts. Some of the numbers are just staggering to me. The one that stands out immediately to me is that the average 18-24 year old sends or receives 109. 5 text messages per day. What could possibly be that important... ...

 

[BIGNASTY]

Technology is making the world a FAST PLACE!! We have become so dependent on it that we cant plan our days and think about what needs to be done to get it accomplished and we need to confirm everything with the phone to get some kind of approval. Cant take time to figure out where your going my SMART PHONE will do it for me as I DRIVE. Have some important news about a girl or boy that cant wait until I see friends to tell them I have to do it when I DRIVE. I forgot to tell the kids that I would be home late and to turn on dinner so I call them as I DRIVE. The appointment that I'm going to be late for because of our heated life that we lead I will call them and tell them as I DRIVE that I will be late

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... IF YOU MAKE IT THERE!!!!!!!!... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

When driving I watch others it comes from driving a gas truck for a little while. If I see someone getting on the freeway and they are paying attention to what is going on in traffic I will go OUT OF MY WAY TO HELP GET THEM ON SAFLEY. If they are not paying attention and especially talking on a cell phone YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN!!! WHEN THE TIME COMES FOR THEM TO MAKE A CHOICE BRAKE OR GAS THEY HAVE ONE OTHER OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I have put more people spinning around the ice plant in Ca that I can remember and if they make it fine if not I DONT CARE. Its a BIG-NASTY world out there pay attention JMO

BIG

 

[Greenleaf]

I have a tough time looking out the corner of my eye(s) to push on the window switch. I can't imagine having to drive properly and text.



I often ask my instructor Father how many hrs of drive time his students must receive prior to driving while texting or applying make-up.



Funny to note that all the crashes he and his students are involved in are due to experienced adults behind the wheel of another vehicle, not the white-knuckled kids setting next to him!

 

[Greenleaf]

The one that stands out immediately to me is that the average 18-24 year old sends or receives 109. 5 text messages per day. What could possibly be that important... ...

I took my 16 year old nephew along with me to the historical society to spend the day blacksmithing with me. He had to keep stopping as he was sending and reciveing texts. There isn't anything important. They are doing it becasue it is available to them.



Blacksmithing involves you to strike while the iron is hot. It don't wait for anyone to read a text. That was a long day of heating iron and little forging.

 

[EGroeneveld]

What is really said is to watch couples or groups of friends in restaurants not talking but with their eyes on each of their phones sending and recieving texts and looking at facebook, etc... . in total silence.