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Tell Us: Should Driver’s Ed Deal With Texting While Driving?
February 14, 2011
Driver education courses would have to include information about the risks associated with texting while driving under a bill filed last week by a House Democrat.
The measure (HB 689) filed by Rep. Lori Berman, D-Delray Beach, would require the information for teens taking courses before becoming a first time driver and also drivers who are going to traffic school after committing a traffic infraction. The same language is also filed in a Senate bill (SB 758) by Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood.
The Senate bill has been referred to the Transportation; Education Pre-K – 12; Communications, Energy, and Public Utilities; and full Budget committees and is yet to be scheduled for a hearing.
What do you think? Tell us in the comments section below.
Comments
34 Responses to “Tell Us: Should Driver’s Ed Deal With Texting While Driving?”
Not that I think it will do any good, but absolutely it should be taught. I agree that it should be a law against talking on them when driving. If stopped because of one there should be a stiff fine There are a lot of wrecks now days because of cell phones.
Texting while driving should be against the law. I just got back from vacation but while I was on vacation I almost got hit head on by a young lady texting. She actually stopped she was so shook up I ask what she was doing and she was honest and said that she was texting. I ask her what she had learned and she said no more texting she said she saw her whole life flash in front of her and that no message was that important.
Sure got my heart rate up but am glad we all were okay. By the way I text all the time but I will not do it while driving.
Definitely! There are several videos on YouTube that are sponsored by cell phone companies that would be good teaching tools & big eye openers! There is one that I saw by AT&T that sure gets the point across…of how One Word…caused the death of these young drivers…
Why would drivers Ed need a bill to include this in their syllabus? Just do it!
Sure they should include it. It is the repitition that will cause them to remember to not do it. If we are going to trust them to drive though, we have to trust them to make the right decisions about safety. It is not just texting that distracts from safety. Eating, talking on the phone, playing with passengers, etc can distract too. If we do not trust them to make good decisions about safety while driving, pull the keys – at least for a while.
IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I’VE TAKEN DRIVER’S ED, BUT WE WERE TAUGHT TO KEEP OUR HANDS AT 10 AND 2 ON THE STEERING WHEEL, SO IT’S KIND OF HARD TO DO THAT AND TEXT AT THE SAME TIME…..
Can’t hurt, might help……
OF COURSE THEY SHOULD!!!! That’s one of the dangers out there.
Of course it should be included…unless you want every teen driver that texts while driving, be followed by either EMS and/or a hearse.
Sure, add it to the dangers of drinking and driving. That’s worked so well.
Yes, but like others have already said, kids learn by example. Showing them graphic pictures of accidents from texting is going to help just as much as showing them graphic pictures of accidents from drinking. Teens, or anyone else for that matter, aren’t going to think about that when their phone goes off, just like they don’t think about it when they drink.
Teach, instruct, take away, restrict, whatever…things aren’t going to change until parents/guardians start taking responsibility and leading by GOOD example.
Yes.
starting with PARENT/GUARDIAN cooperation AND DRIVERS ED…i agree 100 percent… YES……..my opinion and my opinion only…i feel they need to raise the drivers license age to 18…..keep the permit at 15…..when one turns 16/17 years of age…..to school/work only and back home……no driving between 11oo pm and 6am…..the one year of permit driving between 15 and 16 does not give enough experience for young drivers,,,,,,
DUH!
regarding:
“Should Driver’s Ed Deal With Texting While Driving?”
This seems like a DUH question. Drivers Education should teach how to drive safely and what constitutes unsafe driving. Other than that knowledge, what it needs is supervised driving to help new drivers develop the habits of safe driving.
Anyhoo, driving and texting at the same time is an unsafe practice as it diverts attention away from the primary goal of driving without killing self or others. People texting are less likely to identify a problem in time to respond in time. And that’s even assuming they are somehow watching the road the entire time, an unlikely assumption.
David for distraction resistant drivers
Yes ~ it should definitely be addressed in driver’s ed. It also should be the responsibility of the parents as well to enforce it…many times have had close calls with ‘adults’ talking on the phone trying to drive, where do you think most teens have learned it’s ok?!?!?!
And it would also be good to teach them how to react when their airbag does deploy in an accident.
They also should up the driving age at least to 18, not change the permit age, this way they have plenty of time to get supervised experience!
@ Terry, I know the feeling, I too have had people stop to ask if I was broke down while pulled over to talk on my phone!
Absolutely YES! I think it should be against the law for ANYONE to text while driving.. The people who text and drive are distracted and they share the road with the rest of us..
We should use every resource we have to help our young drivers be safe. The young drivers of today face many more challenges today on the roads than we did. From electronic bill boards to heavier traffic, they have many distractions. It is a win win to teach them in drivers ed and at home. We must not forget the the teaching begins at home and we must set good examples. Go to this web site and have your young drivers take this pledge: http://www.rememberalexbrownfoundation.org/take-the-pledge/sign.php
It still does not hurt to “tell them again” and as one post states, show graphic pictures of some of the consequences. And quite frankly, most of the people I see not paying attention & pulling out ahead of me or crossing over the center line are vey adult people, not teens, and especially women talking on their cell phones!! Maybe adults need the classes, too…
Oh and the answer to the question is YES!
Of course the schools must do everything now days since
parents still have children even tho they don’t take the initiative to
raise them their selves.
WOW you mean these kids are still going to drivers ed?
The way they drive down 97 and 29 I thought they must have eliminated
that class a long time ago.
They don’t even know not to cross over the yellow lines if it’s on your
side and they don’t know how to go around a center island medium.
How did they miss that?
Parents start raising your children! Schools should have to teach a child what is right or wrong, about any matter! Teaching, Learning, Loving, Patience, Self Respect and all the other start at home.
no because if they are too stupid to realize you dont take your eyes off the road for an instant for any reason, they should not be driving in the first place. alas there are always those that do this for any number of reasons…something fell out of a persons purse so they quickly bent over (while driving) and wrecked…somebodys coke spilled…cars are dangerous no matter what which way you look at it…in my perfect dream world young folks would not be allowed to drive until age 25, at least then a persons brain has made all the connections it needs for good judgement, or as good as it can get. lord knows i have seen plenty old folks taking risks….maybe darwin had something….
I agree with you, Alan Bell.
My question is this…why on earth would we even question whether we should teach our kids the dangers of texting while driving? Seriously, can someone come up with a good reason to NOT teach them that it is dangerous?
YES !!! These kids need all the information we can give them before we turn them lose, after that we can only pray they will listen and be responsable.
Many adults are setting bad examples doing it.
It should be a law that your phone be turned off while driving, causing NO distractions, I promise the world will go on without you for the 30 or less mnutes it takes to comute.
The dangers of texting and of talking on a cell phone while driving should be taught in drivers ed class. It should be against the law to text or talk on a cell phone while a person is driving and tickets should be given that are equally as expensive as DUI and not wearing a sealt belt.
Too bad the kids are not smart enough to figure this out for themselves,that drivinga vehicle requires 100% of their concentration.But they think they are invincible.but then as far as the adults setting good examples,signs in doctors offices stating please turn cell phones off.Duh! Maybe the whole nation needs a course in cell phone etiquette.Some people are REALLY addicted to their phones and culd not quit if they wanted to.I pulled off Highway 29 last week to talk on my cell phone,had 2 people stop to see if i was broke down.Between concentrating on my driving and watching for idiot drivers,I can’t manage a phone or text conversation at the same time.Multi tasking can only go so far.
I agree that people will do what they want while driving. But in order to drive the point across I think these students need to be given real life examples. Show them pictures of trauma cases that involved teenagers, show them the end results of how these accidents changed the lives of these people; if they were fortunate enough to come away with their life.
Yes, some teens still dont qet the idea that it’s a bad idea to text while drivinq even thouqh its aqainst the law & is advertised on many commercials, many dont pay attention until its too late. So if the tauqht this is drivers ed, teens would be more aware of the danqers before they’re able to be on the road.
Yes. Safe driving is what Driver’s Education is supposed to teach. Learning about safe driving and driving safely are two different things.Teachers teach the rules and the law enforces them…
I have personally witnessed a sheriff’s deputy texting while driving heading up 31. I do agree this needs to be addressed in driver’s ed. One second can change yours and someone else’s life forever!
Driver’s Ed can add the lesson, but will it work? Probably not. People are going to do what they want: speed, read (paper or a book), drive drunk, or drive in the left lane. The list can goes on and on. If you have a teen and are concerned about him or her texting while driving, be the adult and take the device away. Problem solved.
Hell yeah they should teach about texting & driving ..along w/ the dangers of drinking & driving. Hands on 10 & 2!!
There needs to be a law against texting and talking on cell phones, one with Harsh penalties similar to a D.U.I.. Too many people are dying from this senseless and selfish act, all of them that died or killed from doing it were people with the mindset that they’re not the one who will get into a wreck, just like the ones who don’t wear seat belts.