Teen Texting While Driving

In California, Sequoia Jones was sentenced to 5 years in prison for an accident she caused when texting while driving. (See: Woman Gets 5 Years for Texting While Driving Accident ) She was going 70 to 75 miles per hour when she hit a motorcycle. The rider went down and was then run over and died. Jones pulled over and attempted to walk away from the accident. In addition to attempting to leave the scene of an accident, she had a previous conviction of vehicular manslaughter.

She is 64 and will now spend the next 5 years in prison. So if the thought of hurting or killing someone doesn’t stop people from texting while driving, hopefully knowing they can go to prison for it will make them think harder about it.

Personally, I feel the only way to prevent texting while driving accidents is to block the ability to text while driving all together. This can only be done by adding a block to all phones that prevent the ability to text if the phone is moving faster than 15 miles per hour. The automakers and federal Transportaion Department seem to agree.

This technology already exists and is available by way of numerous apps to block texting while driving – the only problem is that the use of these apps is voluntary. It needs to be a built-in function of the phone, so that no one can text while driving. Passengers can still text while in a moving car, thanks to already-existing technology.

The hard fact is this: Until texting while driving is made impossible, we will continue to see more tragic, preventable deaths on our roads.

-Sherry
Distracted Driving Foundation

The US Department of Transportation posted this PSA on its YouTube channel this week. A very eye-catching and engaging spot that helps further spread the work about distracted driving and reminds us all that, “Sometimes we all need a distraction…but never while driving!”

-Sherry
Distracted Driving Foundation

This news story covers several instances of texting while driving accidents, including statistics and calls for safety. But it’s the graphic PSA by British TV that is going to get to you. Everyone needs to see this:

-Sherry
Distracted Driving Foundation

On Monday, January 3rd, a portion of US 27 in Polk County Florida was re-named, “Heather Hurd Highway” in memory of Heather Hurd. She was on her way to meet her parents to plan her wedding. Instead, she was killed by a truck driver who was texting while driving.

Her mother says, “We are the trian wreck,” according to this article “You don’t have to feel this. You have to put your phone away.”

-Sherry
Distracted Driving Foundation

CTV News reports that the driver who killed Senhit Mehari and Amutha Subramaniam was texting while driving. The two teens were travelling in a car with three other people who were all on their way home from a Halloween Party. The driver who was texting ran a red light and hit them.

The driver faces charges that include: “…impaired driving causing death, impaired driving causing bodily harm, criminal negligence causing death and criminal negligence causing bodily harm.” Friends and family of the victims held a vigil with a message that the driver deserves more than just a slap on the wrist for these serious charges.

-Sherry
Distracted Driving Foundation

Everyone thinks *other* people should not text while driving. But most of these people text while driving themselves. That is why the ability to text while driving needs to be disabled in all phones, by law.

The technology already exists to do this. There are many apps which do this. They detect that the phone is travelling at a certain speed or above, and the ability to text is shut down.

This is a good start, but unfortunately it is all voluntary. That is why I was glad to see the announcement by Ray Lahood, U.S. Secretary of Transportation. He announced that the DoT is examining technology that would end texting while driving.

Requiring this technology is the only way to end texting while driving. The technology exists to disable texting by the driver and allow passengers to text. We just need to make sure it is implemented.

-Sherry
Distracted Driving Foundation

The Distracted Driving Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation, and we appreciate all donations and contributions. But we are especially grateful and humbled when we receive donations in honor of someone who has passed. We recently received donations in honor of a young man, and it just makes us want to work even harder to end texting while driving.

You can make donations at any time in a few different ways. Go to our Donations Page for several different options. Donations are tax deductible and greatly appreciated!

-Sherry
Distracted Driving Foundation

Distracted Driving Summit 2010 in Washington D.C.

Distracted Driving Foundation Acting Executive Director, Jeff Haley, is attending this summit and will be presenting our views. We will have a lot of news from the summit, so check back with us soon!

In the meantime, you can watch a live webcast of the Distracted Driving Summit here: Live Webcast of Distracted Driving Summit

-Sherry
Distracted Driving Foundation

Check back here often for news and updates in the fight to end texting while driving. I’ll be posting ways you can help, progress, hurdles to be faced and more.

Be sure to sign up for the RSS feed so you don’t miss anything!

Drive safely!

-Sherry
Distracted Driving Foundation