Teen Dies While Texting The Dangers Of Texting And Driving - US Messageboards

Midnight Marauder · May 24th, 2012, 01:41 PM

Tragic Irony: Teen Dies While Texting The Dangers Of Texting And Driving

Taylor Sauer, a college student driving home on a lonely road, was texting with a friend via Facebook when her car crashed into a tanker truck at 80 miles per hour, killing her instantly. The tragic irony of the situation was revealed in her phone records shortly after: At the time of the accident, she had been texting about the dangers of texting and driving.

Her last message, sent moments before the crash on Jan. 14, said, "I can't discuss this now. Driving and facebooking is not safe! Haha."

According to the phone records, Sauer, 18, was posting on Facebook about every 90 seconds.

"I think she was probably (texting) to stay awake, she was probably tired," Taylor's father, Clay Sauer, told Ann Curry on The TODAY Show. "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."

Taylor's parents have since become activists in their home state of Idaho, trying to get the government to pass laws against texting while driving.

(See the clip from TODAY above).

Because of texting-while-driving deaths like this one, the federal government is moving to limit in-vehicle communications technology that turns cars and trucks into virtual rolling smart-phones.

Last month, U.S. Department of Transportation secretary Ray LaHood announced a new set of proposed distracted driving guidelines for automakers that would limit the use of in-car tech solutions that are "not directly relevant to safely operating the vehicle, or cause undue distraction by engaging the driver's eyes or hands for more than a very limited duration while driving."

Specifically, DOT is recommending automakers withhold technology packages that require both hands to operate or that could take a driver's eyes from the road for more than two seconds. Further, DOT wants technologies that require detailed input from the driver to be disabled while the car is out of park. That would include text messaging and internet browsing along with such tasks as address entry into navigation systems and manual phone dialing.

Future guidelines may include recommendations to manufacturers of aftermarket devices like smart-phones, portable GPS units and tablet computers. It's important to note that these guidelines are recommendations, not mandates.

The controversy that will play out in the coming months and years is obvious: Drivers are so attached to mobile devices that if automakers don't keep innovating ways to stay connected hands-free, people will inevitably be drawn to using their mobile devices in ways that, it can be argued, are more dangerous.

More at link including a disgusting sob story video.

I guess it wouldn't have been so tragic if it was eating a sammich, applying makeup, adjusting the radio, fixing her hair, or ogling male construction workers which caused the distraction which caused the wreck.

Distracted driving is distracted driving. There's already laws everywhere which cover it, blanket style. We don't need more silly laws.

This is a play to emotions, making people forget to critically THINK and just feel bad, want something done.

Even if it's stupid, and wrong.

Sheep fall for this shit though, every time.

Must have moar gubmint!

This crap makes me sick.

Kat · May 24th, 2012, 01:46 PM

I see people driving and texting all the time. How stupid can one be??
I text on my cell all the time, but I have enough sense to know not to do it while driving.

Passing more laws won't stop it btw.

Midnight Marauder · May 24th, 2012, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by Kat

I see people driving and texting all the time. How stupid can one be??
I text on my cell all the time, but I have enough sense to know not to do it while driving.

Passing more laws won't stop it btw.

And actually, statistics are coming in showing these laws actually make the problem worse, with people keeping the phone in their laps now to do their texting.

walruskkkch · May 24th, 2012, 02:17 PM

The problem is not the texting, it's the driving. Stop driving, save your life! And save the environment! IT'S A TWOFER!

Sidestreamer · May 24th, 2012, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by Midnight Marauder

Tragic Irony: Teen Dies While Texting The Dangers Of Texting And Driving

More at link including a disgusting sob story video.

I guess it wouldn't have been so tragic if it was eating a sammich, applying makeup, adjusting the radio, fixing her hair, or ogling male construction workers which caused the distraction which caused the wreck.

Distracted driving is distracted driving. There's already laws everywhere which cover it, blanket style. We don't need more silly laws.

This is a play to emotions, making people forget to critically THINK and just feel bad, want something done.

Even if it's stupid, and wrong.

Sheep fall for this shit though, every time.

Must have moar gubmint!

This crap makes me sick.

Had this been a sheer horror story, she would have been masturbating to a Justin Beiber song.

Seriously though, what's the point of getting all wound up over it just because this death came with a degree of irony.

Midnight Marauder · May 24th, 2012, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by Sidestreamer

Had this been a sheer horror story, she would have been masturbating to a Justin Beiber song.

Seriously though, what's the point of getting all wound up over it just because this death came with a degree of irony.

I'm not wound up over it, and I don't care about it. People die in auto accidents every day. We're all going to die someday, one way or another. It doesn't even register for me.

I'm quite disgusted however with crap like this being a demagogue to use emotion to get more laws passed we don't need. And especially in this case, the new laws - where they have been implemented - only make the problem worse because not only do people keep texting while driving, now they keep it in their laps to hide it from the police. Making the distraction problem even worse than it was. Statistics and studies are already bearing this out.

I'm embarrassed for the general population, who like sheep just say "hell yeah we need a LAW" without giving it a single rational thought.

It's knee-jerk, panic legislation of the worst kind.

But I know, thinking hurts your head. That's why you avoid it.

Amadon · May 25th, 2012, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Midnight Marauder

ogling male construction workers

bluebell · May 25th, 2012, 12:05 PM

this week they passed a law here in out city saying the same thing no cell phone use at all in you're car.and their in forceing the seat belt law since this state is the highest on drunk driving and accidents...

Midnight Marauder · May 25th, 2012, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by bluebell

this week they passed a law here in out city saying the same thing no cell phone use at all in you're car.and their in forceing the seat belt law since this state is the highest on drunk driving and accidents...

It's kind of funny actually, in the 80s when it was first being proposed here in Texas I was vehemently against the seat belt laws.

So, I was a scofflaw, refused to wear them. I definitely wasn't alone in that.

But one day in 1989 I jumped in my brand new Ford Ranger XLT to go meet some of my buds for lunch. For no reason that I know of and for the first time ever, I put on the seat belt.

At a major intersection, I had the green light and was ditty-bopping on through, when BAM! I was T-Boned by a big ol tuna boat 70s Catalina!

Taking stock, I had no doubt at all that the seat belt saved me from grievous injuries and I became a believer that day.

But this texting while driving crap is different - especially when stats are already showing the new laws only make the matter worse, and we already HAVE laws against distracted driving.

bluebell · May 25th, 2012, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by Midnight Marauder

It's kind of funny actually, in the 80s when it was first being proposed here in Texas I was vehemently against the seat belt laws.

So, I was a scofflaw, refused to wear them. I definitely wasn't alone in that.

But one day in 1989 I jumped in my brand new Ford Ranger XLT to go meet some of my buds for lunch. For no reason that I know of and for the first time ever, I put on the seat belt.

At a major intersection, I had the green light and was ditty-bopping on through, when BAM! I was T-Boned by a big ol tuna boat 70s Catalina!

Taking stock, I had no doubt at all that the seat belt saved me from grievous injuries and I became a believer that day.

But this texting while driving crap is different - especially when stats are already showing the new laws only make the matter worse, and we already HAVE laws against distracted driving.

well i hate useing my seat belt to because it don