Should Chevy Have This Technology In Their Camaros?

[Renegade]

Police to spy on drivers suspected of texting in federal test.


As more states ban texting behind the wheel in a fight against deadly driver distractions, police departments around the country have found enforcing those laws difficult, if not impossible. Now a new federal grant will pay for experimenting with the only technique shown to work so far -- spying on motorists while they drive.

The $550,000 grant announced this week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will let police departments in Connecticut and Massachusetts test a variety of anti-texting moves over the next two years, from ad campaigns to roving patrols. The aim: To find "real-world protocols and practices to better detect if a person is texting while driving," said NHTSA chief David Strickland.


While 38 states ban texting behind the wheel, proving that someone is using their phone to type text rather than look at a map or some other permitted use has become a roadblock for law enforcement agencies. Only 10 states ban all hand-held cellphone use behind the wheel, so in most states with a texting ban, simply holding a phone in your hand isn't enough for a ticket; officers have to see a driver thumb type before they can pull them over. In Minnesota, police wrote 1,200 tickets for texting in 2011, compared to 200,000 for speeding, according to Minneapolis Tribune. In Scranton, Penn., police issued 10 tickets in six months after that state's ban went into effect -- and one of those was to a driver who admitted texting after a crash.

That's why the NHTSA grant will pay for "spotters on overpasses" and other roadways who could identify drivers while they type, and there's already evidence for how such a program can work. In Bismarck, N.D., police wrote 31 distracted driving tickets in two days during a crackdown earlier this month where they used unmarked, high-riding trucks or SUVs to peer down into cars and catch texters in the act. Since North Dakota bars not just texting but Internet browsing behind the wheel, officers had to see what specific apps drivers were using, with one officer telling that they could have written twice as many tickets, but couldn't get enough evidence.


While some safety groups have called for an outright ban of cellphone use behind the wheel, such proposals haven't gained much support in Congress or legislatures around the nation. No federal agency has the power to control what people do with smartphones while driving, and there's still an open debate about how serious a risk texting or other electronic distractions pose compared with better-known dangers such as drunk driving. Thousands of Americans have already been the victim of a motorist who should have been steering instead of typing, and the U.S. Supreme Court has said there's no expectation of privacy when driving on public roads. But if the only way to enforce texting bans involves undercover police reading cellphone screens over driver's shoulders, the debate over how to make roads safer will take a different route.

[Hitman84]

I personally don't have a problem with this. The at your own risk argument is bull because texters are putting others at risk too

[dkp2LT]

I only see that they're paying for someone to 'spy' on you why you're driving - imo no worse than looking to see if you're wearing your seat belt.

However, if you're talking about some sort of technology built into your car to determine if you're texting, then I would have a problem with that. Might as well require built in breathalyzers - or proof of a valid DL & insurance card prior to starting.

I remember when car phones first came out in the early 80's - my brother & I got into an argument because I stated that someday talking on a phone would be treated the same as a DUI if there was an accident. He stated there was no way that the state gov't could regulate the reception of airwaves by a private individual.

[Dtrimpi87]

Hell no will I ever have something like that. The government is way too intrusive into our lives.

[jkupa10]

Whenever I see someone texting next to me I'll always blare the horn at them to get their attention, usually they aren't usually too happy with me though.

There was an article I read over the summer that was about the spark and sonic, and part of it talked about how these cars would be good for young drivers as their first vehicles, mainly the MANUAL versions. That way there was a better chance they were concentrating on their driving/shifting and not on something else. Seemed like a great idea to me. Just get rid of all the automatic transmissions and it'll help a lot, it'll also help bring up the MPG avg for the CAFE standards, that also attributes to using less gasoline, less oil, etc. Also a better chance some of the idiots they let on the roads aren't allowed to drive because they're too stupid to even learn a manual transmission. It would be great!

[amz]

There is a civil liberty in question here.

Because we all know that the technology would NEVER be used for anything beyond its intent. Yeah , right.

[tramtwo]

I just wonder why we can't jam signals in cars and theaters and the such. If the car is in gear the phone simply doesn't work. I know for a fact that in many hospitals on floors with sensitive equipment your phone is rendered useless.

[2011*Camaro*SS]

But if the car were to block signals then if you had somone calling you with an emergency then you would never know.......I think if people would just be smart enough to not use their phones behind the wheel then the gov. wouldnt have to be so intrusive.....

[jkupa10]

Originally Posted by 2011*Camaro*SS

I think if people would just be smart enough

The world could be a great place if this were true, right?

[AirManFL]

$550,000 grant WTF?

Rob

[Hitman84]

Originally Posted by 2011*Camaro*SS

But if the car were to block signals then if you had somone calling you with an emergency then you would never know.......I think if people would just be smart enough to not use their phones behind the wheel then the gov. wouldnt have to be so intrusive.....

couldn't Agree more

[mattsfirstSS]

CAR MANUFACTURERS JUST NEED TO KEEP UP WITH TECHNOLOGY. i NO LONGER HAVE TO TALK ON THE PHONE SINCE IT CONNECTS VIA BLUETOOTH, NOW IF THERE WAS A TALK TO TEXT APP THAT WORKED WELL AND i COULD SPEAK IT TO MY BLUETOOTH AND IT WOULD READ IT BACK THE PROBLEM WOULD BE SOLVED......sorry for the caps just noticed it...

[SSBlack]

Peeking into people's cars is pretty low tech and kinda creepy if you ask me. Out on the interstate, they probably saw some strange things.

How do they crack down on cellphones/texting and not crack down on make-up applying, talking, eating, or changing the radio station?

They can crack down on all of those with Careless Driving tickets, but I'm betting those are rare.

You can't even stop drinking and driving with all the laws on the books and harsh penalties, breathalyzers in cars, people still do it.

You can't stop stupid until stupid kills someone else with their stupid actions and stupid goes to jail.

[camaroitalia]

is it illegal to text at red lights? if your vehicle is at a complete stop?