Should we crack down on deadly texting drivers?

When you’re on the roads have you noticed the mass of drivers whose eyes seem to be glued to their lap as they tap and scroll on their phones? Or are you guilty of checking your device while behind the wheel like a massive twenty five percent of NSW drivers have admitted to doing?

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen cars roll forward and nearly collide at the lights because their focus was directed towards a screen and not the road.

According to the Northern Daily Leader the NSW government has come down the hardest, increasing the penalty for ‘illegal phone use’ from four to five demerit points, and doubling to ten points during holiday seasons. Fines sit at $377 and rise to $448 when in a school zone. Between 2012 and 2017 there were 175 crashes that involved mobile phones, leaving fifty people seriously injured and nine dead.    

One issue seems to be that no one actually knows what counts as ‘illegal’ phone use. Using your mobile to text or message while driving has been illegal for a long time across all Aussie states, and NSW has banned holding your phone at all, even if it’s resting in your lap or cradled between your ear and shoulder. According to NRMA if you wish to use your phone – only to accept or end calls – it must be secured in a holder.

Despite raised penalties and even talk of cameras to catch texting drivers, is enough being done to keep our roads safe? How could we better keep drivers’ eyes on the roads and their phones in the back seat?

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37 comments

I agree with massive penalties.

for years I have said we should stop pussy footing around and make harsh penalties.  If caught, phone is conficated for at least a month and a fine of $1000 immediately and a month driving suspension...for starters.  Do it again and a doubling of the above.

 I agree with massive penalties and that includes pedestrians who use  their phone whil crossing busy roads. I have seen mthers on phones with toddlers on the phones crossin the roads. Their focus should be ensuring that  their children safely cross the road. Penalties should be equal in all states for all road users.

 I agree with massive penalties and that includes pedestrians who use  their phone whil crossing busy roads. I have seen mthers on phones with toddlers on the phones crossin the roads. Their focus should be ensuring that  their children safely cross the road. Penalties should be equal in all states for all road users.

I get so mad when I see mothers (and I have seen more than one or two) pushing prams with baby, a toddler running beside and she totally engrossed in her mobile phone not watching where she is going whatsoever.  Everyone else has to avoid "her"!

Her total attention should be on what she is doing and her children.  

We see it often. Mothers sitting in a cafe with her friends (all on their mobiles), not watching the toddlers or giving them an IPad to play games. One Mother was so engrossed talking to a friend and didn't watch the little 3 year old, who had climbed on to one of those toddler rides and fell off. She ran over when the child started crying and gave him a slap for getting on it. 

I agree that hand texting while driving seems extremely dangerous, unconscionably ignorant of others and your own safety.

As to cracking down, it is probably true that police are already highly vigilant. We don't want or need cops and cameras all over the place. That they hammer people with already significant fines when they happen across you doing this type of thing seems good to me.

On the heading, doesn't "deadly" pre-suppose the culpabiity and in a uniformly significant way? The body and responses can opine that. I never have texted while driving but am sure I would if it was the only way to get a message out while tracking something or someone that represented a greater danger.

 

  

its a bullshit no brainer topic.

common sense tells us you CANT text and drive safely at the same time. if you are looking for a key to press how can you possibly watch where you are going?

not sure but i think it would be classed as culpable driving, but it certainly breaks the "driving in a manner dangerous to the publicf" law, and obviously constitutes "endangering public safety"

that a heavy fine should be mandatory for a first offence is a no brainer but, i would go so far as to say a mandatory jail sentence for any subsequent offences, but unfortunately as there are no jail cells available, the sentences would be impossible. perhaps if we increase our immigration intake, that might solve the jail cell shortage when it enriches our culture like i keep hearing it will  .....

perhaps the urge to text while driving is mother natures way of combating overbreeding by humans so maybe it should be allowed after all huh?

lol - loved your last paragraph bilby .......... exactly!

BTW, it is very hard to believe that only 175 crashes were linked to mobile phone use between 2012 and 2017. If those are the figures perhaps phones have not been routinely checked for time of use at crash sites.

While I have never texted I have used a phone on a cradle which can involve pressing an "on" key and which is said to be distracting in its own right. Since most jurisdictions do not control this type of use it is an opportunity for people to show that they can use it judiciously limiting the risk as much as likely.

On risk which is the basis of attempts at control we do need to keep balance. We walk and risk, we run and risk a little more, we drive and risk, the second and third successively greater than the first. We take a swig from a water bottle while driving and the risk is slightly increased, we talk without taking eyes from the road to increase it mildly again, we look around the back to reprimand the kids and increase it again. Somewhere in there an approximated and arbitrary line of acceptibility is met. This is situationally moderated. Only when the overall equality of 'acceptable' risk is exceeded should we be seeking to kerb any activity.

 

i tried to read a text once while i was driving in the country in a remote area. i nearly went off the road.

how could anyone possibly SEND a text and safely drive at the same time? i can multitask some things but defiitely not that

it kind of reminds me of an old kenny everett rhyme ..

there was a man from rangoon

who could tap his head with a spoon

while having a pee

and whistling in g

and farting to the tune of high noon ......

said for ages you go in "hard" right from the word go...we fiddly faddle around with weak consequences and as more and more people are being killed or maimed by these irresponsible people we decide to keep upping the ante little by little.   just make a massive fine, take their phones off them and take away their licences for 3 months on the spot!

 

.... people have their "lives" in/on their phones these days!  There would be a massive spike in suicide numbers!  

You can't take their phones and their licences away ..... that's a bit harsh?  They need to get to work - or call in sick  haha - book their Uber and order food from Deliveroo....  :)

the only problem with automatic huge fines, is the fact that many people like myself no longer wear a watch, and rely on their phone to tell the time. the clock on my car radio no longer works, so when i need to know the time i very briefly look at my mobile to check the time.

my understanding is that the fines for mobiles in cars is for just holding your mobile like i do to tell the time, or occasionally to empty my pocket.

i realise that many people would use that as an excuse and say they werent texting when they really were, but it seems a bit unfair to fine somebody for using their phone to tell the time while driving. its no more dangerous than adjusting the volume on your radio or turning on your wipers, imho.

since the law change though i try to avoid checking the time when i am driving, and try to do it when stopped at lights if i have to do it at all. however somebody told me you can be booked for holding your mobile when stopped at lights, but i  am not sure about that. asked a cop and he wasnt sure.

 

 

People who text while driving should banned from driving for at least two years..this is the norm in some European countries.

In addition their mobile phones should be crushed.

"In addition their mobile phones should be crushed." 


yeah like they wouldnt know how to go and buy another one?

watched "cops" a few times and in almost every episode, there is at least one case where somebody is driving while under suspension. many of these people have found that hving a licence doesnt make the car go any better, and dont care if they dont have one. obviously the penalties are inadequate or perhaps it is just the fact there arent enough jail cells to go round .....

Agree 100% Sophie. Drastic action is what is required. That's the only way some people learn.

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