Rockism 101 discussion

Here's the question: If you get rear-ended by someone, should you have the right to ask to see that person's cell phone in order to determine whether they were texting while they rear-ended you or not?

A driver asking to see that I think would be an invasion of privacy in some respects.

-just because you happen to receive a text (let's say for the sake of arguement) doesn't mean you actually LOOKED at that text at the time of the accident. Now, if you SENT a text during that time- dude, there is no defending that shit.
-I do think that giving police that latitude when responding to an accident might be a better option. Though just thinking of police and giving them more 'abilities' to fuck with me (should I get in an accident) nearly makes me break out in hives.

I'd much rather have them build cars that drive themselves and run on saltwater or something and then I can talk and text to my heart's content without worrying about driving at all. Though gas companies and auto companies would likely NEVER allow such things to happen.

here are some stats Alana, that indicate to me that SOMETHING has to be done about texting and driving.

Sept 2011 - The National Safety Council announced that it estimates at least 28% of all traffic crashes – or at least 1.6 million crashes each year – involve drivers using cell phones and texting.

http://www.nsc.org/Pages/NSCestimates...

A study published by David Strayer of the University of Utah also found that collision risk when driving is 23 times greater than when not texting.

These stats don't include the number of accidents that happen every day that are NOT reported. Most people aren't going to admit they were on their cell phone when they got into an accident because they will get a ticket for it.

In 2012, 421,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver, this was a nine percent increase from the 387,000 people injured in 2011.

I would think you have the right to ask AND they have the right to refuse. But the insurance company could ask for the records I assume. I know the police could, if there is a reason to believe they were. When someone I know was involved in a car/bicyclist accident, he voluntarily sent his phone records immediately before they even asked for them, because it is a reasonable thing to ask for in this day and age. OBVIOUSLY he wasn't on phone OR texting

Many states are making laws about texting and driving, Texas (or maybe it was just Austin- not sure) recently had a new law go into effect that NO ELECTRONIC HANDHELD DEVICES (don't quote me or anything, the wording could totally be off) can be used while operating a vehicle.

And we've at least had a no cell phones in school zones rule for a long time.

I agree, something needs to be done, but I don't know that drivers involved in accidents getting to look at each other's cell phones is the way to go to fix it.

No, but you should have the right to beat that person severely about the head and shoulders.

Terri wrote: "I would think you have the right to ask AND they have the right to refuse. But the insurance company could ask for the records I assume. I know the police could, if there is a reason to believe t..."

That totally sounds reasonable.