Ohio deputy who died may have been texting

[chevysoldier]

From the Newark Adovocate

TOLEDO (AP) -- Police in Ohio say an off-duty deputy's cell phone suggests she may have been texting right before a rollover crash that killed her.

Toledo police say 29-year-old Lucas County sheriff's deputy Kim Smith lost control of her car early Sunday on an Interstate 75 curve in the city. The vehicle slammed into the center concrete barrier and rolled over at least twice. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police say her phone indicated a message was being typed just seconds before the accident. The crash remains under investigation.

Smith was a corrections officer at the Lucas County jail in Toledo, which is one of a number of Ohio communities to ban text-messaging while driving.

[redkow97]

<sigh> I really don't think banning texting is the answer. Changing CD's, messing with the radio, or eating a burger all interfere with your ability to drive just as much as texting, and we allow all those activities.

Some people are certainly more or less safe than others while performing any of the activies above as well.

All this incident proves is that LEO's can be bad drivers just like the rest of us.

[Likwid]

I wouldn't really call a CO a LEO when it comes to driving stuff... they are babysitters (that take WAY more abuse though)

But I agree otherwise, banning stuff doesn't make the world safer.

[max power]

.... banning stuff doesn't make the world safer.

Fuck that, ban texting completely. That shit is stupid, doing it while driving if fucking retarded.

[kawi kid]

i agree banning wont make it safer. just like guns its only going to effect the law abiders.

[chevysoldier]

It's a way to get more money. I think it should just fall under something wreckless operation.

[RC51 John]

Fuck that, ban texting completely. That shit is stupid, doing it while driving if fucking retarded.

Psst ... the 20st century said it's okay you can let go and move to the 21st.

[max power]

Never. I am anti texting. If it isnt important enough to call me about, I dont need to know.

[Likwid]

That's funny, I'm anti call. If you can't say it in a txt don't bother calling me....

You old people are funny Embrace new media or be left behind grandpa

[ohdaho]

How do you distinguish texting from just looking at your phone? Enforcing that law is impossible.

[chevysoldier]

How do you distinguish texting from just looking at your phone? Enforcing that law is impossible.

Many texting phones are setup like a keyboard (which you knew I'm sure) and most people with that type use both hands to text. You don't do that while you are just looking at the time. Not that I agree with the law, jussayin

[ohdaho]

Many texting phones are setup like a keyboard (which you knew I'm sure) and most people with that type use both hands to text. You don't do that while you are just looking at the time. Not that I agree with the law, jussayin

Alot of younger folks have actually learned to use one hand to text on the qwerty type phones. I can do it with my iphone too.

I just cant see enforcing this law. Sure we theres always going back into phone records, but thats just ridiculous for every possible offender.

[kawi kid]

funny thing..... i was in the semi driving past my old high school while it was letting out and i would swear that i passed more kids in line leaving school texing than i saw not. and was in a good position to see up high like that too.

[Likwid]

How do you know? I'm betting she was in the process of sending a message... it said "dude lol omg wtfbbq roflm"

[chevysoldier]

Alot of younger folks have actually learned to use one hand to text on the qwerty type phones. I can do it with my iphone too.

I just cant see enforcing this law. Sure we theres always going back into phone records, but thats just ridiculous for every possible offender.

Most of the people I've seen use both. I just have a military spec flip phone so I don't text much. I do agree it'll be hard to enforce as a "Catch on the fly" type citation. That's the only way I could think of getting caught before an accident and then they check records when an accident does happen.

[Disclaimer]

Just what we need, more excuses for cops to pull us over.

If you drive like an asshat, you're ALWAYS going to drive like an asshat until you kill yourself or someone else. All some law is going to do is make people even less focused on the road because now they're focused on texting AND looking out for cops catching them texting.

Hell, it won't deter some people at all. People still don't wear their seatbelts either.

[chevysoldier]

Just what we need, more excuses for cops to pull us over.

If you drive like an asshat, you're ALWAYS going to drive like an asshat until you kill yourself or someone else. All some law is going to do is make people even less focused on the road because now they're focused on texting AND looking out for cops catching them texting.

Hell, it won't deter some people at all. People still don't wear their seatbelts either.

+1

[RSVDon]

I can type a legitimate response with one hand on my iPoop while looking at the road and only look down to press send, is that a bad thing?

[kawi kid]

i get alot of my extra stops on the road through text while im driving the bomb!!

[ReconRat]

Granted that other activities are similar to texting while driving. But appearances are that texting while driving is deadly to drivers and others on or near the roadway, while the other activities in general are not.

Most activities take a few seconds, the problem with texting is that it can go on for too long. Initially it's giving over control of the vehicle to nothing in particular. Followed by ignoring control, and then lose of control.

So far the dividing line for attention lose that might be too much is around 4 seconds. Too much can happen, too great of a distance is traveled, in four seconds. And with texting, it's going past that four seconds until something goes wrong or close to it. Like drifting out of a lane. How often do we see that? It's getting to be continuously visible on the highway. In this case, it was the last thing this deputy saw.

[HomeSlice]

I consider myself a good driver... but I can't drive well and text well at the same time. Either I drive well adn txet lkie thsi or I text well and drift into other lanes.

[chevysoldier]

I consider myself a good driver... but I can't drive well and text well at the same time. Either I drive well adn txet lkie thsi or I text well and drift into other lanes.

I lol'ed

[ReconRat]

Oh hey, I just remembered. I don't know of any city that allows eating or drinking anything while driving. And any other activity admitted to have happened as a possible cause of an accident, would be considered failure to control, reckless, or manslaughter.

[chevysoldier]

Oh hey, I just remembered. I don't know of any city that allows eating or drinking anything while driving. And any other activity admitted to have happened as a possible cause of an accident, would be considered failure to control, reckless, or manslaughter.

So why the separate law for texting?

[ReconRat]

So why the separate law for texting?

I guess just to make the message clear. Since most laws aren't clear. As evidenced by most people not knowing or ignoring. Or simply to give legislators something to do, other than what might actually be important. But if that important other activity is increasing taxes, I guess I'll settle for more laws and regulations instead.

I used to wish that two laws would be removed for each new one added, till things got back under control. But the world doesn't work that way. New ones are added till the system collapses.