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Texting While Driving Accidents

By Robin Walters

My daughter turns 17 this Saturday. She will be going to take her driving test.

Last night, I received this video on my facebook. This video is so graphic of what happens when texting while driving. I am sure many of us have been guilty of texting or talking while driving. I believe this is a wake up call to all. This is a must see for all teenagers!

Lori Ann Santini

You have no idea how many times I go to an accident and the driver states "I only looked away for a moment". That is all it takes to kill someone. My 4 year old watched the video with me. She had some very astute things to say. Sobering for me to say the least. I would suggest that all parents show this too their kids.

Aug 27, 2009, 8:55am Permalink
Amanda Welsh

Just this past November, the day before Thanksgiving, I was riding in my mom's van with her, and my 2 children. At the time I was also 8 months pregnant, and we were rear ended by another vehicle. They ran the red light up by Tops and Barret. They were texting on their cell phone. There was a car in the middle of us and the one on their phone. Thankfully there were only minor injuries. However, as a precaution I was taken to the hospital to be watched. They transported me by ambulance, and as another safety precaution they strapped me to a backboard and put a neck brace on me. It was not comfortable. I have experienced this type of thing. I am lucky that it was not this severe.

Aug 27, 2009, 10:07am Permalink
Julie A Pappalardo

I actually sold my motor bike because of how dangerous the roads have become. Between texting, eating, smoking, yacking on the phone, yelling at the kids in the back seat, and old people who shouldn't have a license to begin with........Too scary for me!

Aug 27, 2009, 10:25am Permalink
Karen Miconi

Wow, this made me cry. This video really sends it home. Very graffic, and raw video. They should broadcast this on TV, in the US. I'll bet the ones texting will think twice, after viewing it.

Aug 27, 2009, 10:40am Permalink
Gary Diegelman

I saw a lady on Main Street just the other day. Right hand on the cell phone,left hand on the steering wheel juggling a cup of coffee with a cigarette in her fingers.
An accident waiting to happen. THINK PEOPLE! The person you hurt or kill could be your loved one!

Aug 27, 2009, 10:34am Permalink
Howard B. Owens

It's not just drivers. This morning a young lady jaywalked across main street, chatting away on the phone. She nearly stepped right in front of my truck. I don't think she was even aware there were cars in the road.

Aug 27, 2009, 10:55am Permalink
nick driscoll

There are two groups that you need to watch out for more than others and that is the young drivers and the old drivers. the young drivers dont have the experience and lets face it when most of us were young we didnt make as good of choices age has bestowed upon us. and the old and i mean very old just seem to lose their sharpness. this is very dangerous behind the wheel of a 55+mph vehicle. I think it is not the best system to allow anyone 16 years or older to pass a test then have the privilege to drive until circumstances like DWI multiple mvas until they are not allowed to drive anymore. does anyone know the law about taking away ones license for getting into too many m.v.a.s?

Aug 27, 2009, 11:10am Permalink
Peter O'Brien

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

Aug 27, 2009, 11:41am Permalink
Ron C Welker

Multi-tasking is a way of life for most people. I followed a lady driver for about five miles and she crossed over both the fog line and double yellow lines twenty times in five miles. I caught up to her and pulled along side here before entering 490 to see if she was drunk or sick, nope! mirror down doing her makeup and hair:)

Nick, please clarify for me at what age one becomes an "old driver"

Aug 27, 2009, 1:12pm Permalink
Bob Price

I wish they would show that video in the U.S.,but it's probably too "graphic" for some people-tough sh*t!!!! There has got to be something done about texting- it will become the #1 killer on highways and cause of accidents.It saddens me to see young kids bicycling down sidewalk,no helmet,face down at phone while riding in the street.I have witnessed this many times this summer,the latest a few days ago on a side street off Richmond-can't remember name of it right now.Sad thing is,most times the vehicle that they cross into happens to be a tractor trailer,and I guarantee the outcome would be far worse than that video.There is NO REASON for 10-13 year old kid to have cell phones-and I've seen younger.Nothing will be done about texting,as it is a cash cow for the phone companies.I guess we will all have to grow eyes into the back of our heads when driving- it is getting real bad.

Aug 27, 2009, 4:52pm Permalink
Amanda Welsh

I agree Bob. Have you noticed that the texting isn't just going on while driving either. Like Howard says "This morning a young lady jaywalked across main street, chatting away on the phone. She nearly stepped right in front of my truck." It's going on EVERYWHERE! Riding bikes, roller blading, even walking. It's becoming reckless.

Aug 27, 2009, 5:15pm Permalink
C D

Believe it or not, it is possible to talk on a phone or to a passenger while keeping an eye on cars and pedestrians around you without dipping into other lanes, which is what caused the accident in the video, but that's besides the point I want to make.

Biking, roller blading, talking/texting on a phone, whatever doesn't equate to recklessness. It's a matter of being aware of your surroundings, which a fairly large amount of people are horrible at.

I can easily respond to texts without having to look at my phone and read the replies at red lights. Never have to take my eyes off moving traffic.

Don't take this as a defense against all the cellphone talkers/texters/skateboarders, etc. A lot of people cannot pay attention to what's around them, or several things at once. Those are the people that cause accidents. My point is the action in itself isn't necessarily reckless.

Aug 27, 2009, 7:17pm Permalink
nick driscoll

I don't know at what age people faculty's seem to slow down and recede a bit, I'm not an expert but maybe there should be some studies. I'm sure there are enough statistics somewhere. There should be a certain age that you should go back to the dmv take an i test and a road test perhaps even a written test. I would like to think that some family's realize this and help with there loved ones tasks so they don't have to drive when they have no business doing so in the first place. but for the ones that aren't so lucky thats too bad i have seen enough of them on the road and hope that some safety measure takes place soon.

Aug 27, 2009, 9:56pm Permalink
Robin Walters

I do not get the part of the very young kids being given cell phones either and may I say this

If your child has a cell phone are you paying attention to detail of your itemized bill. If not, start now.. If they have unlimited texting, look and see how much they are texting.. I finally figured out where my daughter's moodiness was coming from.. she was up all hours of the night texting! Can anyone here top 17,000 text messages in one month? umm needless to say, there were some changes made on that cell phone! that was a year ago.. she lives in Pa with her dad..

Also may I suggest that they are not given photo capability as well.. you would not believe what is coming in and going out on those phones!

Aug 27, 2009, 11:03pm Permalink

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