Police say it is impossible to determine if Bailey was texting while driving, or if another passenger may have been using her phone. Since everyone in the vehicle died in the accident, that question will remain unknown. But the trend of talking and texting on a cell phone while driving seems to be on the rise, not just for teenagers, but for adults as well. Only the state of Washington has passed a ban on texting while driving which will take effect this January. A few places in the country have adopted cell phone bans in cars, but in most places it is legal to talk and drive.
The horrible accident in New York in is a reminder to all of us to think about one's responsibility when taking the wheel. These four young women had just graduated from high school five days prior. Their cheerleading squad had just won a national championship and all were looking forward to their first year of college.
So Gather Members should talking or texting while driving be illegal? Have you seen accidents or close calls due to this type of distraction? Let us know what you think about this issue.
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Comments: 20
Granted, maybe the text the driver (if it was the driver) responded with said something as simple as "lol" or something smaller than dialing a phone number. We don't know from this report.
Nonetheless, I know of many drivers who regularly take these kinds of risks, whether turning to talk to someone in the back seat or fishing through their glove compartment. There's no way I would text and drive, well, at least not while I'm putting on my mascara. (Note that I say that only to illustrate the point.)
Tragedies can happen easily when we're driving, or doing other potentially dangerous things, without great care.
Unfortunately, until people learn to act responsibly, this type of tragedy will continue to happen....
I don't even answer my cell while driving. If it was important enough, the caller will leave a message. I refuse to use text messaging and did not sign up for it when I got my phone.
I see drivers all of the time that are obviously paying more attention to their convo than their driving. I have had many close calls when I ride my bike too!
This is so sad that all of these girls had to die for what was possibly just a meaningless text. I can't see how any text mess would be worth it.
Although I do agree with a comment above that there are many other distractions in a vehicle while driving. I feel that cell phones are used too often while driving and I think it should be against the law
Years ago a high powered lawyer in CA said that if his client is in an accident the first thing he does is get the phone bill of the other driver. If they were on the phone they were automatically guilty.
There is no question it is a major distraction, and there is growing medical evidence that our brains cannot process visual cues as well when we are talking on the phone.
Think of the innocent deaths that could be avoided if we simply didn't use the phone while we are driving.
Anyone who tries to send a text message while they are driving has a serious lack of intelligence. Maybe driving without intelligence should be made illegal.
> Nonetheless, I know of many drivers who regularly take these kinds of risks, whether turning to talk to someone in the back seat or fishing through their glove compartment.
Yes. The problem isn't a single source of distraction but that the number of distractions is increasing. I saw a guy with his cell parked on one shoulder (thus limiting the use of that arm and twisting his head) while eating something with his right hand, thus eliminating that arm completely -- and how much attention did he have left for the road at all?
NPR had an interesting segment a few months ago that revealed talking on a cell phone while you are driving, even with a headset, is equivalent to driving with a .1 blood alcohol level. Now that is scary.
Why is talking more important than surviving? Most of these conversations that end in fatalities probably look like one of these:
"and then she said back to him- you'll never believe it, she said..."
"so where are we going out to dinner tomorrow night?"
"you know what I heard on the news this morning?"
"I bet you are wondering if I have on any underwear"
I don't see why cellphones need to be turned on in cars. They are there for calling the cops after you witness, or are involved in, a crash. They are not there to create one.
In Florida, teen drivers have to drive their first year with an adult riding shotgun, with no night driving for the first 3 months. Then, the next year, they have a curfew, but unfortunately, no restriction on the number of other teens that can be in the car or cell phones. There is legislation in the works I hear to raise the driving age to 18 from 16. Could save alot of lives if you look at the stats.