teen killed in carcrash texting every 90 seconds; parents blame the law

[Twiddly]

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/46627015?ocid=todmsnbc11


Oh, really? It is the laws fault that your teenager was apparently so addicted to facebook, that despite saying it was a bad idea to be doing it while driving, continued doing it anyway?

Do we really need laws to limit what boils down to completely idiotic behavior? "Oh, brb this guy is going so slow in front of me!" while driving 80 MPH? oh, that is the *LAWS* fault, not there own!

I honestly mean do disrespect to this woman in any way, but where do we draw the line between "There should be a law against that!" and "You should not be so stupid that you are driving 80 MPH and typing on a cell phone"

"I think she was probably (texting) to stay awake, she was probably tired," Taylor's dad, Clay Sauer, told Ann Curry on TODAY Monday. "But that's not a reason to do it, and the kids think they're invincible. To them, (texting) is not distracting, they're so proficient at texting, that they don't feel it's distracted driving.""

Oh, really, your daughter that posts on facebook every 90 seconds was doing it to stay awake? She was clearly addicted to the social networking, and could not stop, despite what was going on...just because in your eyes they are perfect, does not mean they are.


"The state has an inattentive driving law on the books, which some lawmakers say covers texting, but Shauna Sauer noted a driver must be visibly witnessed by police breaking a driving law to be pulled over. And Clay Sauer told Curry he believes a new Idaho law would serve much as the once-debated seatbelt law did decades ago."

how would a new law effect teenagers texting while driving? do these people honestly think a law is going to stop a teenager from doing something like texting? Maybe they should stop and think for the first time in there life, and not do it? But I guess law should cover idiots now.

[Flagobha]

Agree with the OP. Can´t stand people blaming the society and the law for their supidness...

[Martinussen]

i remember once when people actually thought about things......

Anyways, people has always been, and will always be retards. And in our world going 7 billion people and rising, we'll just see more.

[Super Kami Dende]

Darwinism wins again!

[DemoBytom]

I'm sorry.. but using a cell phone while driving is not forbidden in USA? o-O really?
In most countries, mine including, it's forbidden. You can't talk, not to mention text, via cell phone if you're using hands for it. You can talk via loud speaking set (or however it's called in English), but you can't hold cell phone in your hands. It's taught in driving schools, it's punished if cops see you doing it, it's a freaking law (not to mention common sense >.<')...

[Deleted]

Nothing idiotic here, just grieving parents trying to cope with the loss of their daughter, it's a lot easier to blame someone else than accept that it was the daughter (or even the parents) fault

[Twiddly]

i remember once when people actually thought about things......

Anyways, people has always been, and will always be retards. And in our world going 7 billion people and rising, we'll just see more.

When I was a teenager I was stupid about laws. I thought speeding was a stupid law, I thought under 21 not being able to drink was a stupid law, and I thought curfews were stupid laws. I broke them all at one point or the other, and to be honest? I still think curfews are stupid laws, 18 year olds not being able to drink is stupid. Speeding is kind of a grey area for me though.

Would stricter laws on teenage drinking have effected me when I was a teen? Hellllllno. Would stricter curfew laws? Another Helllllllno. You can not make stupidity (Such as texting while driving) against the law and expect teenagers to respect it. Ever. Just hope that your own kids are not stupid enough to do it.

[Martinussen]

Darwinism wins again!

HIGHFIVE! Smart people can still be stupid

[Twiddly]

I'm sorry.. but using a cell phone while driving is not forbidden in USA? o-O really?
In most countries, mine including, it's forbidden. You can't talk, not to mention text, via cell phone if you're using hands for it. You can talk via loud speaking set (or however it's called in English), but you can't hold cell phone in your hands. It's taught in driving schools, it's punished if cops see you doing it, it's a freaking law (not to mention common sense >.<')...

And do you realize that it has been proven in double blind studies that bluetooth (The hands free cell phone usage) you are talking about is just as dangerous and distracting as texting/talking with it in your hand?


Again, laws do not prevent people from being idiots.

[Monoxyde]

at least no one else was hurt is the important thing here. she did something stupid and paid for it.

[Beavis]

And do you realize that it has been proven in double blind studies that bluetooth (The hands free cell phone usage) you are talking about is just as dangerous and distracting as texting/talking with it in your hand?


Again, laws do not prevent people from being idiots.

Actually....http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/cali...ing-lives.html

[Martinussen]

And do you realize that it has been proven in double blind studies that bluetooth (The hands free cell phone usage) you are talking about is just as dangerous and distracting as texting/talking with it in your hand?

while this is true, i cant see how bluetooth is just as dangerous as a hand held.


Again, laws do not prevent people from being idiots.

You can still watch the road and have both hands on the steeringwheel

[Deleted]

Well, in the NL we do have a law against using cellphones to do anything in the car while driving. Either you use a carkit to talk handsfree, or you do not touch the thing.

Punishment is a fine of such a ridiculous amount that people WILL feel it in their wallets rather harshly and it tends to be a fair deterrant. Not saying it's perfect, but it's a good addition. Not only is it stupid and dangerous, it's illegal too...

[Twiddly]

Actually....http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/cali...ing-lives.html

All that proves is that making cell phone in the hand usage illegal cuts down on it, not that bluetooth is not as dangerous.


Bluetooth usage, talking on any type of device marks you as an instant terrible driver in my eyes.

[semaphore]

How are they blaming the law? All they seem to be doing is campaigning for a ban on text-driving. That's because they don't want the same thing happening to other families (and wishfully thinking that making it illegal would stop/reduce it), not because they think her death is the law's fault.

[Martinussen]

at least no one else was hurt is the important thing here. she did something stupid and paid for it.

she sure did, and while i dont care for her death simply because of her own stupidity, i still think her "payment" may have been a little harsh.

it would've been better if she survived so she hopefully learned her lesson.

[Twiddly]

You can still watch the road and have both hands on the steeringwheel

Does not matter. Has been proven to be as distracting as using it in your hand.

[Maharishi]

I dunno, this isn't without some degree of logic

"We all fought against seat belts, (but) now, everybody wears seat belts. The kids will be trained and learn from a young age that they can't text and drive."

Realistically, a texting ban is a much more legitimate exercise of governmental authority than seat belt laws.

[zoefschildpad]

Texting while driving is clearly dangerous (as well as moronic) and making a law against it will give police the power to get these people off the road where they can't run people over. Just beecause there wasn't anyone else involved now doesn't mean there won't be next time.

And I don't see where it says they blame the law, they just want it to make the roads safer...

[Twiddly]

How are they blaming the law? All they seem to be doing is campaigning for a ban on text-driving. That's because they don't want the same thing happening to other families (and wishfully thinking that making it illegal would stop/reduce it), not because they think her death is the law's fault.

Please read the entire thing carefully. Clearly they are blaming not having texting laws for there daughters death. Straight up, 100% blaming the fact that it is not illegal. Like teens give a crap.

---------- Post added 2012-03-06 at 03:35 AM ----------

I dunno, this isn't without some degree of logic

Realistically, a texting ban is a much more legitimate exercise of governmental authority than seat belt laws.

And you think teeenagers texting will give two craps if it is against the law? The same kids that drink underage, probably smoke underage, and dabble in "Illegal drug" usage?