I Do Hereby Solemnly Swear Not to Text and– Hang On, It's My Mom
The Auto Channel reports that Unitrin Direct Auto Insurance is offering a six percent discount to Georgia residents who pledge “not to do things that will take their attention off the road.” Georgia product manager Andy Mason hopes its “focused driver pledge” will increase awareness of the "great importance of staying focused while behind the wheel of a car." Customers solemnly swear (online or via hard copy) “not [to] read text messages, e-mails, GPS devices or load or watch DVDs while driving.” To check the legal niceties, we phoned Unitrim Prez Scott Carter. He told us the company doesn't spy on pledge-takers. Any driver who got caught breaking the pledge would lose their discount, not the entire policy. Oh, and he spoke to us from his cell phone– in the car.
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Conversing carries various levels of distraction; "Honey, could you pick up some milk?" is less likely to be a problem than "JETSON! Why did you change the pitch of the T-40 Sprocket, it's going to drive us bankrupt!" (Habba habba habba... CRUNCH)
Assuming one has a hands free cell phone (On Star) set-up, how is talking to someone 8 miles away more distracting than talking to a passenger? (Not that most drivers have passengers).
Last weekend a woman lost control of her minivan and crossed the median and hit a car head on. A 17 year old teenager was killed. The police were able to determine through reviewing here cell phone that she had been text messaging at the time of the accident.
Rday: Was the teenager's death caused by the woman texting or the collision with the woman's car? The distraction that caused the woman to lose control is secondary to the fact that the woman was not in control of her vehicle. (With condolences to the teenager's family.) That said, liability needs to be apportioned to the woman driver, the car manufacturers, the authority that owns the highway the accident occurred on (if sovereign rights are denied), the mobile service provider, the recipient of the woman's text message, the first responders, and the health care providers. My guess is that the woman will face criminal vehicular manslaughter; and most everyone else will get off scotch-free.