How do we discourage not thinking and driving?
Texting while driving is like driving while drunk and sooner or later we will have to pass a law requiring people to just think.
It applies to adults and to teen drivers so get the message. Reading, writing and sending text messages while driving a car, a truck, a motorcycle or any other motorized vehicle is now banned under Iowa law. If an officer determines the violation of this law led to an accident the fines are stepped up.
But how will we know if the officer doesn’t confiscate the driver’s phone?
Unless the driver in an accident admits to texting while driving, it’s difficult to prove texting while driving. Lawyers defending a civil case will stonewall and attempt to keep that evidence out of the case so that they can save their insurance company clients a ton of dough. Knowing that, I have some advice to drivers involved in an accident where texting or cell phone-use is suspected. No matter how slim the evidence, if you believe texting while driving played any part in the collision, you should accuse the other driver of doing so and let the office do some investigation while at the accident scene. My guess is, the officer will confiscate the offending driver’s phone and preserve it for evidence. If the officer doesn’t order the phone confiscated, then asks them to confiscate it.
Where are we heading with cell phone texting and distracted driving? Is creative sentencing one answer to this question?
From henceforth it shall be a crime to not think and drive. Driving while under the influence of stupidity shall be punishable with up to thirty days in jail and a fine not to exceed $250.00. Driving while absent-minded shall be punishable with up to 14 days in jail and a fine of $100.00. Driving while under the influence of distractions shall be a class D felony punishable with up to one year in jail without a cell phone and a 1,000,000 word penalty of texting “I shall not drive while under the influence of distractions.” You will text it to prisoners in solitary.
See Texting While Driving Ban Starts This Week, AP story on KCCI.
Driving instructor 'caught texting' on Perth highway |
Blake Fleetwood: Pictures of Minors Driving 60 mph and Texting
No More Warnings for Texting While Driving - 11Alive.com | WXIA
Comments (2)
Read through and enter the discussion by using the form at the endThorne - August 14, 2010 5:04 PM
I enjoyed your post, and got a real kick out of this line -- "Driving while under the influence of stupidity . . . .
But I'm like other readers; I had a problem with two lines in the fourth paragraph:
1. Knowing that I have some advice to drivers involved in an accident where texting or cell phone-use is suspected.
2. If the officer doesn’t order the phone confiscated then asks them to confiscate it.
In both cases, commas are missing just where they're needed. Without them, people are lead astray. You have them start by believing you're writing about
Knowing that I have some advice . . . .
and
If the officer doesn’t order the phone confiscated . . . .
(Rather than
Knowing that, I have some advice . . .
and
If the officer doesn't, order the phone confiscated . . . )
In each case, a comma would have assisted the reader (which is good to do when you're trying to attract potential clients) and made you look better.
Why not do what professional writers do: have an editor review your work before it's published (before potential clients can see you're capable of omissions and errors).
BTW: I just happen to be a skilled and experienced editor serving lawyers and law firms. You can learn about me and what I do at my web site: http://misterthorne.org.
Steve Lombardi - August 15, 2010 10:22 PM
Thanks for the heads up.