OMG LOL: New study says 93% of Americans favor banning text messaging while driving
Maybe it's not surprising that Ford commissioned a study that helps bolster a sales case for some of its in-car-electronics, but the Blue Oval seems to have its finger on the pulse of the nation this time. Market researchers Penn, Schoen & Berland polled 1,000 drivers and found that 93% of them agree with the notion of a nationwide ban on texting. Those drivers seemed to be realists, however, with only 42% believing that the same idiots who punch out communiques instead of attentively piloting their 3,500 pound projectiles would actually curtail the behavior if a ban were enacted.
Ford, of course, has a solution with its SYNC voice activation technology. Fully 76% of the respondents expressed interest in a vehicle with technology like that of the Blue Oval, which is probably the main point of the survey in the first place. It's likely safer to keep a driver looking down the road with his or her hands on the wheel instead of fiddling with a handheld, but there's still an issue of distraction when a driver's thinking more about chatting instead of steering, as many studies regarding the use of hands-free phones in automobiles have shown.
For its part, Ford has been looking into driving distractions for a long time, and technology like SYNC and MyKey are the results. There's not yet a speech-to-text function, but if a ban gets enacted, look for Dearborn to be ready with just such a system to sell you.
[Source: Motor Trend | Image: Edbrown05 via CC 2.0]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Thunderbuck 3:23PM (9/30/2009)
I totally understand why the public is calling for this, but I've had a nagging question: are there not ALREADY laws against driving "without due care and attention"?
Why don't these laws apply?
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Sea Urchin 3:33PM (9/30/2009)
Exactly, the problem is that laws on the book are not being followed.
I say if someone is caught by police yapping while driving they should be fined 3K and should be banned from driving for 3 months. From what i see, drivers are acting as if there are no laws at all.
AC 3:52PM (9/30/2009)
In the end... I just call it responsibility.
I guess we are making cars too safe nowadays so people just act carelessly.
Serge 4:00PM (9/30/2009)
I agree... however, my next point has more to do with enforcement rather than the actual law: I got pulled over in bumper-to-bumper traffic for calling my dad (I was on my way to pick him up) to tell him that I'm stuck in traffic into the Holland Tunnel... I was standing completely still (in park) for about 5 minutes before I made the quick call, and I would have been standing in the same spot for 10 minutes after I finished talking.
The officer did not give me a ticket... however, he checked my license and registration and told me not to talk while driving...
I think I would be pissed if I had to pay $3,000 for such a stupid situation.
P.S. I had to use my old phone for a week because my regular phone crapped out on me, and it doesn't have bluetooth or a hands-free set :(
WillDaThrill 11:03PM (9/30/2009)
It's because people are dumb! Things have to be spelled out to work. No one wants to assume personal responsibility now-a-days and will find a lawyer who will find a way to create a loop hole through a general order or law. I'm glad I'm closer to death everyday because every generation is worse than the previous!
John 10:08AM (10/01/2009)
Did anybody else notice the fact that the photo taken/used had to require one hand to hold the cell phone for display and the other hand was likely taking the photo of the phone???
...Anyone???
akboss302 3:26PM (9/30/2009)
That's because everybody is tired of getting stuck behind the jerk texting on his/her phone that is stopped at a green light! In the grand scheme of things it may not be a big deal, but man, that just gets under my skin...on a more serious note, I'm sure the risks of a real accident are more severe. I hope Canadians are as forward thinking on this as our brethren to the South.
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Silly Pickle 4:53PM (9/30/2009)
Way ahead of you boss...we've already got the law in place in Manitoba, just a matter of them actaully advertising it and letting people know. A sort of grace period if you will. While I can see the potential for a wreck while texting (almost got side swiped by some bozo diong just that - Class A-Ahole - and not even a kid, he was in his 50's!) I don't get it while talking on the phone. Maybe it's just me, but I can talk while driving, I just don't pay attention to what you're saying. Though I've seen people who can't...so there goes my argument.
The CAA even goes so far as to say you shouldn't adjust your radio while driving. A little absurd - but if we keep it up, soon that will be outlawed too.
Thunderbuck 5:41PM (9/30/2009)
But, again, we already have laws in every jurisdiction in Canada regarding "driving without due care and attention." Why don't we just enforce these--with adaptations as needed--and that covers everything. Not just texting, but eating, shaving, makeup...
Or should we have MORE new laws to cover each and every distraction? Why can't we just have one "driving while distracted" law and be done with it?
Kelly McKinney 8:46AM (10/02/2009)
I know what ya mean. I lay on the horn until I see them start to move. Dodge has the loudest decibel horns on the road and that really gets their attention! I witnessed an accident last month where the light turned green, the first 4 cars moved thru the intersection but one dumb broad just sat there. She was looking down at her cell phone not paying attention. Along came this motorcyclist and BOOM! Right into her arse end! He was probably assuming she was moving, cuz who sits at a green light? Poor guy. Not only did he get hurt, ruin his Harley, but he'll probably get sued for rear-ending her!! Oh, we told the cops she was sitting there texting, we watched her do it. Hopefully she got cited too!
katshot 3:27PM (9/30/2009)
So only 7% of Americans text while driving?
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btyler227 3:37PM (9/30/2009)
right? i would feel confident to say at least 70% of Americans text or have texted while driving. out of that 93% that want it banned, 88% of them will continue to text with a law in effect.
montoym 3:46PM (9/30/2009)
It's funny really.
People tend to want to enact laws that they want everyone else to abide by but they feel don't have to.
It's sort of similar to the "drive on the right, pass on the left" laws, sometimes I feel like most people want that law enforced just to get others out of the left lane so that they can take their place and drive in the left lane unobstructed.
jim 4:24PM (9/30/2009)
Another case of do as I say, not as I do
katshot 7:51PM (9/30/2009)
You mean like cops that drive down the road with their cell phones buried in their ear?
Or cops flying down the road WAY over the speed limit?
Hmmmm...
James Sonne 3:30PM (9/30/2009)
I think we should outlaw, not the act, but the consequence.
If you get into a wreck while texting, it's wanton, non-premeditated murder or wanton endangerment etc.
No speed limits, but if you get into a wreck going above the indicated speed, it's also murder/endagerment.
There are plenty of people out there that don't care about paying a $25/$250 ticket, but few people want to be inconvenienced by spending years in jail. Watch the rate of speeders decrease like magic.
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katshot 7:50AM (10/01/2009)
"No speed limits, but if you get into a wreck going above the indicated speed, it's also murder/endagerment."????
Make up your mind. No speed limits means no "indicated speed" to go above, so what would you use to indicate the person was doing anything wrong?
Kumar 3:30PM (9/30/2009)
Nice, 93% favor bans, but probably only if it applies to everyone else.
Most drivers think texting and driving is dangerous, but think that they're the exception, that they can do it successfully without endangering everyone around them.
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This Man. 3:32PM (9/30/2009)
Oh great, so the same amount of people banning it is the same amount of people doing it.
It begs the question, who here is a protagonist, or a turncoat?
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coldchylln 3:37PM (9/30/2009)
The driver in this picture has a phone in one hand, a camera in the other, on a two lane road, while approaching an on-coming car.
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