New Jersey Considers Law Holding Those Who Text Drivers Liable for Accidents

Well, I'm not even sure where to start on this one...

CNN

(CNN) -- We've all heard the dictum: Don't text and drive. Now, a New Jersey state appeals court has an addendum: Don't text a driver -- or you could be held liable if he causes a crash.

Read the article for more. It appears the ACLU is against this, which is nice to see. What gets me is how in the 9 hells can you know... for certain... whether the person you are texting is driving or not? Isn't it the driver's responsibility for his actions behind the wheel? Are they also going to hold you complicit in an accident if you are talking to someone who is driving when the event occurs?

What are our 'leaders' thinking?

Glad I'm not in New Jersey. Sheesh.

reply to post by Dreine


Start getting used to this.

We must be nannies for each other or we go to jail. Remember the thread about the guy getting prosecuted for buying a girl drinks at the bar and then she left and wrecked and killed people?

We are now responsible for other's actions.

reply to post by Dreine


I read this article the other day. It's a catch 22 of a predicament. I dont' even know where to start either but I will try.

I have been in scenerio's driving (cross country and locally) where my fiance was texting me and she knew I was driving. Now would it be her fault if I get into an accident? I would say not as I am the operator of the vehicle and it's up to my discretion to ignore or reply.

That's about all I got as I'm having a hard time putting this into words....

It really ticks me off, talk about calling the kettle black and blaming another for someones accident who's not even present.... To me it's them sucking up more money from as many people as possible.

Originally posted by Dreine
Well, I'm not even sure where to start on this one...

CNN

(CNN) -- We've all heard the dictum: Don't text and drive. Now, a New Jersey state appeals court has an addendum: Don't text a driver -- or you could be held liable if he causes a crash.

Read the article for more. It appears the ACLU is against this, which is nice to see. What gets me is how in the 9 hells can you know... for certain... whether the person you are texting is driving or not? Isn't it the driver's responsibility for his actions behind the wheel? Are they also going to hold you complicit in an accident if you are talking to someone who is driving when the event occurs?

agreed, unless you just saw the person driving or they text or call you, how are you going to know if they are driving?

Originally posted by sulaw
To me it's them sucking up more money from as many people as possible.

I believe this is the point of all these laws.

To have EVERYONE in the judicial system. 6 degrees of seperation and all that.

Originally posted by HandyDandy
reply to post by Dreine

 

Start getting used to this.

We must be nannies for each other or we go to jail. Remember the thread about the guy getting prosecuted for buying a girl drinks at the bar and then she left and wrecked and killed people?

We are now responsible for other's actions.

edit on 29-8-2013 by HandyDandy because: (no reason given)

Good point... I guess this is what Obama meant when he said we are our 'brothers keepers'?

I mean, if they want to install a gyro in cell phones that could measure speed, that is one way to use technology to see if the recipient is in a vehicle or not. But even so, then you couldn't be certain whether they were the driver or a passenger.

You can't legislate common sense. Someone find a Deadpool gif, stat!!!!

Retarded, its the person who is driving that picks up their phone who is at fault pure and simple. If you dont have enough self control and common sense you shouldn't bring your phone in the car with you.

I do know that many LEO's when they approach an accident are asking for the cell/smart phones to see if they were on the phone during the time of the accident. Invasion of privacy? Possibly, but I wouldn't go that far.

With all these commercials regarding Don't Text and Drive you would presume that they would end the ball there. Honestly, the commercials are just depressing and also they have these same programs in High Schools.

Let's not stop there though, now let's make it EVERYONE's fault for Mr. Or Mrs. being in an accident. LAME~

I envision future cellphones to "shut off" certain capabilities upon entering a newer car.
Or cars that have the ability to turn off the cell phones capabilities...vice versa.

Honestly though, far too many people are distracted when driving and I can't just blame texting or calling either. I see people put on makeup, I see people eating, or changing the radio stations. It is all a giant risk once you take your eyes off the road. But for Gods sake put your phone down!

There is no need to be in constant communication during operation of a 3-4000lb automobile. That is why they invented hands free communication, and even that is distracting. Common sense will tell even the dumbest person it's a bad idea. But they still do it without remorse.

I look at it like every dumb new law proposed by dumb new gov't. Apparently the people can't decide what is good for them or not, so the gov't thinks they have to. Which in this case is the reason behind this ridiculous proposal. They have to shift the blame somewhere to increase revenue so people sitting at home get fined. That is besides the fact that people don't have enough common sense to figure texting while driving is dangerous. Among a plethora of other things...

Blame the people who text the drivers. Wow.
Good one, dear gov't...good one.

Well thats the most ridiculous thing I've heard this morning... O wait... Post on Miley rate right up there.

So.... What are we to do (?) txt or call the individual and ask if they're driving? Lmaoo can we get anymore ridiculous (?) next we're going to jail for not wiping our ass correctly or wearing deodorant!!

Hahaha i needed the laugh... Thanks

So, would this exempt any corporate entity? Just wondering because sometimes, while I am driving myself to the airport, Orbitz sends me a text to update me about my flight. Oh, and where I live, I get texts alerting me to dangerous weather conditions and, from my state DOT, road construction and hazard updates. I get textual reminders for my bills and from Sprint themselves regarding my plan info, none of which I have any control over when they are sent and whether or not I would be driving when it happens.

This micromanagement if my driving habits and my cell phone data is ludicrous.

On the other hand, what about those text spammers that occasionally target my phone? Will they find them and hold them responsible?

reply to post by havok
Yup, right next to the airplane mode, there will be the following new modes: Automobile, Pedestrian, Theater, School, Light Rail and finally "Standing in line and feeling obnoxious"

All of them will have different feature sets, like 911 only mode for theaters and instead of the phone dialer, only a calculator appears in school mode......

Not to mention, there will be carrier surcharges for implementing and maintaining your safety and gov't taxes on top of it.

Yeah only I definitely did not tell them to answer my text while driving so how 'bout no?

reply to post by evc1shop


Sometimes I see drivers holding a cellphone up higher than the steering wheel and think there should be a restriction on idiots that put the priority towards a conversation instead of driving. So for those instances, an automatic "automobile mode" would be beneficial.

But I am vehemently against laws for those people who texts drivers.
We must hold ourselves responsible and not allow the gov't to keep proposing asinine laws!

The blame is strictly on the driver. Set your phone down.
Is your life more important than reply texting "LOL"? Or not?

reply to post by havok
I do agree that incoming texts shouldn't be an issue, the folks receiving the text are supposed to know when it is safe to view a text, dial a phone, answer a call and so on.

Don't get me started on the people holding phones over the steering wheel to text or look at the screen or whatever.... or I'll have to tell you about the young lady who was so busy applying lipstick and apparently photographing it on her phone that she sat through an entire light cycle oblivious to those of us around her. I was halfway through an intersection waiting to complete my left turn and saw it happening. The folks behind her craning their necks to see what she was up to......