New Jersey Bans Texting While Driving
The seeds of driving safety are being planted in the Garden State.
Tomorrow marks Day 1 when talking on a cell phone without a hands-free headset or texting while driving becomes a primary offense in the state of New Jersey. This means police can pull over a driver for the phone-related infraction alone, instead of having to wait for another violation to occur -- such as speeding or driving without a seatbelt -- before doling out a ticket for the talking or texting offense.
This marks an increase in the seriousness with which officials in New Jersey are taking this major source of driving distraction, although plenty of other distractions are in play and allowed by law, like shaving, eating or even reading the newspaper, as a spokesman for AAA points out.
By elevating the infraction to a primary offense, New Jersey lawmakers have made it clear that the primary role of a person behind the wheel should be -- yes -- driving. Fines will range from $100 to $250, although oddly enough no motor-vehicle points will be assessed.
The New Jersey division of highway safety is launching an education campaign to coincide with the newly strengthened ordinance, and electronic signs on the state's highways will warn drivers of the new law and the consequences for drivers who run afoul.
According to a local police official from Southern New Jersey, he expects catching drivers will be an easy task, with so many of them using cell phones in a careless way. "Its going to be like shooting fish in a barrel."
Be advised.
From the Burlington County Times.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mouhamad Naboulsi @ Mar 1st 2008 4:46AM
I applaud the legislators for banning hand held phones. That is step one in saving lives, but let’s face it, connectivity gives us competitive edge. If we turn off our cell phones, we will be at a disadvantage by the next person who is still using it. The legislative bodies have done their job, but the Auto Telecom and Insurance companies have shirked their responsibilities because their business model does not allow them such flexibility. The result is that existing automotive and telecom business models continue to clash on the road and Insurance business model stay profitable by passing the cost of the added risk to the general population.
I agree that cell phone use while driving is an epidemic sweeping the globe. For each car on the road, (roughly 650 Millions world wide), there’s at least 4 Cell phones and the possibility of a driver having a cell phone is 4 to 1.
What is need is not more legislation, enforcement or Disconnectyivity. What we need is managed middle ground that's based on safety and Facts
THE TRUE DATA FROM THE FIELD shows that
1- 43% of accidents occur when the phone rings in and drivers try to answer. (NO CONVERSTATION YET)
2- 32% of accidents occur when a driver tries to dial a number or worst yet, texting. (NO CONVERSATION YET)
3- The remainder caused by multiple reasons including conversation.
This data was confirmed more then once by studies in Japan and referenced by many U.S. scientists as well as NHTSA.
This is where innovative thinking can come in to solve the problem by re-engineering our life behind the wheel while including teenagers as well as elderly into the solution.
This Re-engineering should create order in the vehicle and give priority to driving tasks over other activities, but still enable other activities while helping keep/or even assuring Eyes on the Road and Hands on the Wheel. Such engineering should be based on real world dat
We have developed, proved and globally patented a system that balances the entire driving experience with emphasis on safety, but still allowing drivers to use communication technologies while driving. Our system has the following key features:
1- Hands are monitored to be on the steering wheel, this enables configuration to enable or disable devices when hands status is not compliant with safety.
2- The driver controls all accessories, including cell phones from “thumb gesture” on the steering wheel. (Yes, texting is possible if the laws allow it)
3- Incoming communications are silenced when Drivers are passing, merging, changing lanes, turn signal engaged, etc, (So as not to surprise the driver).
4- Any information, whether from a caller ID or navigation direction is given verbally to the driver, so there's no need to look at a screen.
5- System is calibrated to driver’s skills and experience so a teen aged driver is given certain allowances and elderly drivers are provided more assistant.
6- System is geographically aware based on Navigation data of curves, lights, stop signs and other legal boundaries and can warn driver’s to slow down or modify behavior when distracted
7- The system can fits into a cell phone, and connects to the car network “CAN” physically or wirelessly and communicates with the steering thumb sensor in the same manner.
8- The system also detects signs of DUI from the driver handling the steering wheel, heart, sweat, temp, gripping strength and steering corrections, and then reports the driver to police, activate the emergency lights and limit speed of the vehicle.
We need to stay connected to stay competitive, but we need to do it safety. What we need is to educate our legislative bodies to require a device like ours on every vehicle. Automotive and Telecom companies have been toying with speech recognitions for over two decades now, but the automotive environment is too harsh to allow a desktop environment to succeed.
We are looking for capital to produce an aftermarket version. 88% of people that see our demo say they’ll buy such a device while 87% think of it as the safest thing as compared to what’s out there. Please contact us on www.actplace.net .
Thank you: Mouhamad A. Naboulsi, president Applied Computer Technologies, Inc.
www.actplace.net
Andy @ Mar 19th 2008 10:05PM
Bonehead of the year award goes to: New Jersey drivers. Texting while driving is not only exceedingly stupid and nearly impossible to do safely, it's already illegal. Ever get a ticket for "Failure to use reasonable care"? Try using a phone for its intended purpose, actual VERBAL conversation. No wonder the government has to take control of ppl's lives. Ppl can't be trusted to do it themselves. You all are dumb.