"According to an analysis by Virginia Tech's Transportation Institute, texting truckers are 23 times as likely as their non-texting counterparts to be involved in a crash or a near miss."
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Texting Truck Drivers
- Thread starter ATeam
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dieseldiva
Veteran Expediter
We've all seen it, and far too often. There was a time when a weaving vehicle, car or truck, indicated an intoxicated or fatigued driver....no more. You can spot them a half mile away and if you're brave enough to try and get around them, 9 times out of 10 they'll either be on the phone or texting.
I personally know a driver that drives a high-end truck, similar to yours, Phil, that texts happily through the night while rolling down the road. I don't imagine the owner of that truck knows of the danger that this driver is putting his business in. If I had nearly $300,000 big ones in a truck and found out that one of my drivers was doing that....never mind, you get the point!
I just think that all of the states need to go to the hands-free device laws and ENFORCE them.
I personally know a driver that drives a high-end truck, similar to yours, Phil, that texts happily through the night while rolling down the road. I don't imagine the owner of that truck knows of the danger that this driver is putting his business in. If I had nearly $300,000 big ones in a truck and found out that one of my drivers was doing that....never mind, you get the point!
I just think that all of the states need to go to the hands-free device laws and ENFORCE them.
dieseldiva
Veteran Expediter
Texting... old school. How about surfing the internet ,waching videos, short movies on Iphone? They are running bombs...
Cut it out....you're scaring this old woman!!
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Diva,
I said this before, the problem is not the phone stuck in the ear but the phone itself. Handsfree doesn't solve the problem with the guy/gal who is unable to handle any multitasking, so no phone for people may be the only option.
I say the simple solution for texting is to tell the cell companies that they are not allowed to offer the featunire or they lose their license.
I said this before, the problem is not the phone stuck in the ear but the phone itself. Handsfree doesn't solve the problem with the guy/gal who is unable to handle any multitasking, so no phone for people may be the only option.
I say the simple solution for texting is to tell the cell companies that they are not allowed to offer the featunire or they lose their license.
dieseldiva
Veteran Expediter
I rest my case!!!
The Associated Press: Police: Texting, talking NY trucker hits car, pool
Police: Texting, talking NY trucker hits car, pool
(AP) – 3 hours ago
LOCKPORT, N.Y. — Police say a western New York tow truck driver was texting on one cell phone while talking on another when he slammed into a car and crashed into a swimming pool.
Niagara County sheriff's deputies say 25-year-old Nicholas Sparks of Burt admitted he was texting and talking when his flatbed truck hit the car Wednesday morning in Lockport, which is outside Buffalo.
The truck then crashed through a fence and sideswiped a house before rolling into an in-ground pool.
Police say the 68-year-old woman driving the car suffered head injuries and was in good condition. Her 8-year-old niece suffered minor injuries.
Sparks was charged with reckless driving, talking on a cell phone and following too closely. It couldn't be determined Thursday whether he has a lawyer.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Sgt. Kevin Locicero, left, and Capt. Bruce Elliot, of the Niagra County Sheriff's Department, examine a flatbed towing truck that drove into a swimming pool in Lockport, N.Y. on Thursday, July 30, 2009. Police said that the Buffalo-area tow truck driver was juggling two cell phones, texting on one and talking on another, when he slammed into a car and crashed into the swimming pool. (AP Photo/Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, Stephen Wallace)
mypie
Seasoned Expediter
Hey its not just texting, cellphones, computer surfing, videos. I've seen drivers with a whole newspaper spread out across the steering wheel as they were passing me. I also saw a guy eating behind the wheel. I know most of us have done that ourselves, but this guy was balancing a dinner plate on the steering wheel and eating a complete dinner with a knife and fork.
I was listening to a radio program the other day where the problem of distracted drivers was being discussed. Some callers claimed, as many people do, that they are perfectly capable of driving and talking on the cell phone at the same time with no risk to safety. They fiercely defended their ability and need to get work done on the phone while driving.
The guest made the very interesting point that these people are distracted but do not know it because they are distracted. In fact, they are weaving, having close calls with pedistrians, running stop signs, just missing kids on bikes, etc. They don't believe they are a risk to others. They don't believe they are doing any of these things because they don't see it happen. They don't see it happen because they are distracted. They kid on the bike that they nearly killed sees it. We see it when they slow us down. They don't see it because they are distracted. You could ask them about the kid on the bike and they would say, "What kid?"
So we end up with drivers out there believing themselves to have superior multi-tasking capabilities. They see other people weaving, driving slow, etc. They do not see themselves doing it, so they come to believe they are OK and others are the problem.
The guest made the very interesting point that these people are distracted but do not know it because they are distracted. In fact, they are weaving, having close calls with pedistrians, running stop signs, just missing kids on bikes, etc. They don't believe they are a risk to others. They don't believe they are doing any of these things because they don't see it happen. They don't see it happen because they are distracted. They kid on the bike that they nearly killed sees it. We see it when they slow us down. They don't see it because they are distracted. You could ask them about the kid on the bike and they would say, "What kid?"
So we end up with drivers out there believing themselves to have superior multi-tasking capabilities. They see other people weaving, driving slow, etc. They do not see themselves doing it, so they come to believe they are OK and others are the problem.
mypie
Seasoned Expediter
Isn't that the real problem . . . taking personal responsibility and not blaming everyone else for the problems?
YarnDoll
Seasoned Expediter
As a former EMT and captain of my Friday night crew, I've dealt with a good number of accidents where drinking and driving were concerned. (Cell phones were rare, and texting was non-existant.) Funny...all those drunks kept insisting they were able to drive just fine. Typically, the drunk was only slightly injured. Others, not so lucky.
dieseldiva
Veteran Expediter
Excellent point, Yarndoll..."occifer, I'm not so think as you drunk I am"!
BTW welcome to the forum.
dieseldiva
Veteran Expediter
Just as my kids, in their adulthood now, still acknowledge "the look"...when I see drivers doing something this stupid, I'm inclined to give them "the horn". It's amazing to me how many of those have that "what did I do look" when I do that. This serves more than one purpose to me...it snaps them out of their trance, shows them they're not as good at multitasking as they thought, and if they're on the phone which is still more popular than texting, the person on the other end of the phone has to be wondering why that truck is honking in the background and may either ask or at least wonder if their conversation is creating a danger. I know the last one is mostly wishful thinking but hey, I can always hope.
dieseldiva
Veteran Expediter
That is my approach as well. I feel that I have less control over the vehicle (even at home in the personal vehicle) when trying to maneuver through traffic. The radio can be a distraction as well and even eating is put off until I can "settle in".
inkasnana
Expert Expediter
When I'm driving, I refuse to talk on the phone (even hands-free) because it's too distracting for me. I'm not saying it's that way for everyone, but it is for me. When I'm in a lot of traffic, especially in a city, I turn off the radio. It drives me crazy to have all that background noise when I'm trying to watch highway signs, lanes, speed limits and other drivers. There's just too much going on around me that I have to pay full attention to.
Doggie Daddy
Veteran Expediter
When I am in big city heavy traffic situations,I find that I can focus better when I am playing the harmonica and solving sudoku puzzles.
dieseldiva
Veteran Expediter
You don't know the half of it, girl. One morning as we were rolling down the road, I stuck my head out of the sleeper into the cab and saw the map on top of the steering wheel as he was driving. So I say to him..."are you reading that map while you're driving"...and he says...."no, I'm just looking at the pictures".....true story. See what I have to live with?