How safe are those on your roads?

[kvnchrist]

What is it about getting into a car that changes so many people into uncaring, unconcerned self-absorbed sociopaths? It's like they are practicing to get on the internet, when they get home.

Have any of you guys seen these people weaving all over the road as they try to make a call on their phone or text a message that could easily wait. Many can't wait to get out on the open road as if the distance apart from other vehicles will make up for the higher speeds that are driven out there.

It used to be the drunks that were they danger, but I guess with the advent of cell phones the problem has blossomed from the percentage of alcoholics that used to drive to the number of people who think they can multitask while removing their eyes from the road at 65 hph.

 

Is this just in America or is it world wide?

[HeyYou]

People drive like they own the road, instead of the car...... I blame insurance companies. :) There is no downside to totaling your brand new whatever, as insurance will just buy you a new one.....

 

Cell phones are rapidly overtaking drunks as the leading cause of accidents here. My daughter was rearended by a guy trying to text whilst coming up to a stoplight. Some damage to the rear of the blazer, his car was totaled. I fixed the blazer for about 50 bucks..... and drove it for another two years. His went to the scrap yard.

 

Now, I drive a full-size Dodge 3/4 ton 4x4. I don't care what pulls out in front of me. Not like its gonna hurt the truck. Folks are aware of this, so, they aren't quite so brave when they see me coming. Gas mileage sucks though. :D

[MajKrAzAm]

My daughter was rearended by a guy trying to text whilst coming up to a stoplight. Some damage to the rear of the blazer, his car was totaled. I fixed the blazer for about 50 bucks..... and drove it for another two years. His went to the scrap yard.

 

Now, I drive a full-size Dodge 3/4 ton 4x4. I don't care what pulls out in front of me. Not like its gonna hurt the truck. Folks are aware of this, so, they aren't quite so brave when they see me coming. Gas mileage sucks though. :D

 

My old man was tired of people with no license, insurance, or even registration from rear-ending him, so he attached a big-ass long-trailer hitch to his super duty. That last driver to hit him was driving a 10+ year old Honda; the truck remained undamaged. :cool:

[JimboUK]

Driving while talking on the phone in the UK will get you fined and penalty points added to your licence which pushes up the cost of your insurance (hands free is OK). It doesn't stop morons from talking on the phone, typing on tablets or using laptops at 70mph+. Just before Christmas a guy overtook me while holding a tablet in front of his face, I was doing about 75mph, I shudder to think what he was doing. Over the last 10 years or so the standard of driving has got a lot worse, people don't seem to look where the hell they're going half the time. We have a width restriction at the end of our road with short metal pillars to keep large vehicles out, time and time again cars hit those metal pillars, some aren't just catching them but hitting them at a 45 degree angle which suggests they're not even seeing them as they turn into the road.

 

These are a few pics from our local paper...

 

http://i.imgur.com/kuui19I.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/YfZvAkl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9K44588.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/cGguYSs.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/OxgTuZj.jpg

 

It's annoying that sometimes we can't get out of the road that end because some halfwit has crashed and is blocking the exit.

[Lisnpuppy]

I think, at least in the US it is because driving is viewed as a right and not a privilege. It is so..so easy to get a driver's license in my State. It is harder to provide the documentation for the ID part than the actually drivers portion. You take a "written" test (a small test on a computer and you can miss 6 of 25 questions.) This gets you a learners permit. They have changed it some for the youngsters they have to practice longer but everyone else has to wait a week then can take the driver's test which consist of driving around a bit and then parallel parking (like who does that anymore) and looking over the car. That is it. The cost is nominal

 

I think if it was perhaps more like Germany where its a big deal and fairly expensive then that would be better.

 

It also doesn't help that trial attorneys are most of the elected officials who make considerable money from auto lawsuits.

 

Also I will have to disagree with HeyYou about the insurance. I worked for almost eight years as a medical payments liability investigator and trust me when I say there are considerable downsides for these things. The buy you a new car is a recent thing and this will make your insurance raise considerably. Most of these options come with lots of strings.

I think the issue lies more that when you have an accident sometimes the police do not issue you any points to your license especially if the wreck doesn't involve other vehicles. It is more work for them to have to fill out all that paperwork. It should be mandatory you get points and those points should be seen my your insurance so they can adjust your rates accordingly each pay period. As it stands after you have insurance if they don't go looking and you don't tell them they don't know. Many folks don't report single vehicle accidents but pay to fix the damage (they don't want the insurance to know or their collision deductible is too high-a mistake many folks make) so their rates remain the same.

[bben46]

My first accident - around 1964. My ancient (even then) 1946 Jeep was rear ended at a traffic light by a Metropolitan (dated 1959 or so - now a rare car) Even though the collision was low speed, the Metro was totaled (hauled off by a wrecker) and the passenger injured. ( face interacted with the windshield) The cost to repair the Jeep? US $0.79 - Yup, seventy nine cents to replace a cracked tail light lens (luckily the same lens was used on many older model Ford trucks and at that time was readily available) The reason for the accident? Driver not paying attention, she was talking to the passenger. Cell phones are now the primary reason for drivers not paying attention to the road. I KNOW I cannot concentrate on a phone conversation and drive safely at the same time. If it's that important - pull over to talk.

 

Google the Mythbusters comparison between drunk drivers and cell phone users. Hint - Drunks are actually a little bit better drivers. :pinch:

Here is the link: http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/cell-phone-vs-drunk-driving-minimyth.htm

[HeyYou]

Must be different where you live Lisnpuppy. Around here, your driving record is reviewed every three to six months by the insurance companies. (and then they raise your rates anyway.....) Also, most of the banks REQUIRE you to carry full coverage insurance on any vehicle you have that is security on the loan.

 

Of course, Michigan has some of the most expensive insurance in the nation..... thank you Detroit......

[Lisnpuppy]

It is different here as West Virginia is very bad as a vs insurance. In fact when I worked there still there was horrible 3rd party lawsuit ability with something called "bad faith" which is where you (the adjuster) had some error in the rules set by the insurance commissioner. Typically it was something like you had 15 days to respond to a letter or whatever. If you responded in 16 days the insurance and you personally could be sued for that. Trust me when I say many plaintiff attorneys deliberately would try to mislead you.

 

It was so bad that all the insurance carriers in the state told them if they didn't fix the issue (which was driving up premiums for us of course) that they would stop writing new business in the state. They did repair it a great deal and our premiums probably went down by half.

 

Banks do require you have full coverage for vehicles still under payment. However people drop coverage all the time and nothing happens. The Bank (if notified which I assume they are) rarely does anything about it. If a vehicle is totalled people get bent out of shape because they have made idiot loans and are upsidedown on them...their car is worth nothing and of course then they get a new vehicle and are even more down as they have to roll that loan into the new car.

 

I have had 3 accidents in my life. One at 18 I was backing up and hit a car in the rear panel. I was 23 and slid on very icy roads (I was careful) and had a Mr. Toad's wild ride across 3 lanes of interstate and stopped when I lightly tapped the other side's barrier and stopped. No damage to the car and thank everything that there was no traffic, it being an early Sunday morning and very bad out. I had to work. The last I had the right of way and was turning left and someone didn't stop at the stop sign and t-boned me about 35 mph. Totaled my car that I just put 1200 in replacing some head gaskets. I was so mad. I actually did have some back pain and she had insurance with the place I worked at. It was actually right near I worked so there were people taking pictures and everything, jumping out of cars to see me. Needless to say she had the high risk version of the insurance and obviously had these things happen before. She didn't even slow down. My car looked like a smiley face. It could have been worse (as I was pushed in the incoming traffic lane) but it was very early.

[rizon72]

I haven't look at my phone while driving since 2008. That year a friend's daughter (who I knew from when she was born) was stopped to make a turn, a guy doing 70 mph and talking on the phone hit her from behind killing her instantly. She was 19. The driver was too busy talking on the phone to realize he where he was going, and speeding. I know there was some court case, but I don't ask about it, its painful enough to lose your daughter, even worse to know it could have been avoided.

 

I always hear from people what's the difference between talking to the person on the phone and the person in the car. There is a huge difference, that person in the care can also see where you're going, the person on the phone cannot.

 

We always think it can't happen to us. I've seen too many close calls to know the truth, it can and does.

 

I was taught to drive defensively, which has helped me out many times. When I see a person switching lanes, tailgating, and such, I don't think wow, cool, I think what, an, idiot. Then my second thought is he/she probably complain about their gas mileage which could be increased if they learned how to drive better.

[kvnchrist]

What do you guys think is the cause of most accidents. Speed or inattention?