Slashdot Mirror
Utah Law Punishes Texters As Much As Drunks In Driving Fatalities
The NY Times reports on legislation in Utah which harshly penalizes people who cause fatal car accidents while texting. Instead of merely facing a fine, offenders may now get up to 15 years in jail — the same as drunk drivers.
"In effect, a crash caused by such a multitasking motorist is no longer considered an 'accident' like one caused by a driver who, say, runs into another car because he nodded off at the wheel. Instead, such a crash would now be considered inherently reckless. 'It's a willful act,' said Lyle Hillyard, a Republican state senator and a big supporter of the new measure. 'If you choose to drink and drive or if you choose to text and drive, you're assuming the same risk.' The Utah law represents a concrete new response in an evolving debate among legislators around the country about how to reduce the widespread practice of multitasking behind the wheel — a topic to be discussed at a national conference about the dangers of distracted driving that is being organized by the Transportation Department for this fall."
Weather you're texting while driving or drunk driving, either way you're an asshole with no regard for the safety of yourself or those around you. Have fun serving your fifteen year sentence, you deserve every second of it.
So what now? I am sitting at a red stoplight, which I know takes at least a minute to switch. I can't take 10 seconds to text someone that I'll be late? It's perfectly safe and the worst thing is that I'll get honked at if the light turns green before I pay attention. I have made a thoughtful, careful choice. Yet according to the law, I am as bad as a drunk driver. Fuck yeah America!
I think this is just an incorrect interpretation of the law. The law only punishes you if you are texting while causing a fatal accident. I don't see how this is possible while stopped at a red light. By punishing the texter only when his behavior causes fatalities, they have gone out of their way to make it possible to do exactly what you envision without penalty: text responsibly while stopped at a light, or in some other safe situation while punishing the truly reckless.
caritj.org
Because of course you single dudes never had to argue with screaming kids/spouse/SO and then suddenly some dumbass on a bicycle weaves out into traffic....that never happens. *sarcasm*
I see bicyclists all the time weave in front of traffic, even a good driver will have a bad day. A traffic fatality in the absence of reckless behavior is not a criminal act.
Perhaps, but at least it's fair in the sense that some malevolent behaviors aren't unjustly punished while others are given short shrift.
Like say, torture and warrantless wiretapping? We have a real double standard when it comes to lawbreaking: shmoes get sent to a Federal Pound Me In the Ass Penitentiary while we "look forward, not backward" on the rich and powerful.
Jesus, these libertarian nut-jobs will oppose absolutely anything, won't they?
Asshole