There's one law which no one pays much attention to. No, not the jaywalking one. The ban of cell phones while driving. That one.
Though the intentions of the state implementing the law is admirable... it's just a bit ridiculous already. Unfortunately the actions of few dictate the actions of the whole. Because of the amount of accidents that take place while someone is driving, the state felt that they needed to put this law in place in order to make Hawai'i's roads safer.
But the real question is... does anyone even care?
According to honoluluadvertiser.com archives, 38 Honolulu drivers were ticked on the first day of the cell phone ban.
Most people don't take the law seriously. Maybe the majority of people who take it seriously are our typical mom & pops... but certainly not the younger generation, where we're used to having our phone on us at all times.
While driving, you can still see many drivers talking, texting, and fiddling on their phones while in the drivers seat. Though the law certainly may have scared some into abiding by the law, many seem to not care.
The law is enforced once an officer sees an electronic device in the possession of the driver. If it is the driver's first offense, they are issued $67 ticket.
According to an interview done for starbulletin.com, the ban on electronic devices includes- "cell phones, text-messaging devices, pagers, personal digital assistants, MP3 players, laptops, video games and digital photographic devices. Hands-free devices are allowed. Navigation devices such as GPS are allowed."
No phone calls of texting are allowed while the car engine is on. The only exceptions to the law are calls being made to 911.
Many feel that the government is creating too many laws which restrict them from their freedom. Now the government is starting to control the tiny decisions which we think nothing of, every single day.
Other people feel that the law is rediculous because it only pertains to the island of Oahu. The law could have more legitimacy if it held true to all the islands of Oahu. But sadly (or happily) it does not.
But let's wait and see if the law has served its initial purpose- less accidents on the road & saving lives. Then maybe we'll see who's laughing then.
I feel like if they're going to make texting and driving illegal, they should also make putting make up, eating, GPS, etc should be illegal. Honestly, I think that putting on make up is way more dangerous than texting or talking on the phone while driving - especially if you're trying to put on eyeliner or mascara because that definitely means your eyes wont be on the road. Some people can text without looking. I agree that it should apply to all other islands, although Oahu has the most drivers.
ReplyDeleteNot sure how the Police are supposed to enforce that one. It must be difficult to notice a texter since you can keep it below sight and hang up rather quickly.
ReplyDeleteI think the police themselves should set the example. I've seen so many cops on their cell phones while driving. To add to that, they have a laptop to access to as well, talk about getting distracted. I'm sure there's some sort of training which they go through for them to be able to justify why they are able to text, type, etc better than a normal driver, if so, then perhaps such training could also be included into driving tests. In that way, we'll keep with the times and evolve. It would be a natural progression.
ReplyDeletei really think that texting while driving is dangerous which is different from when you are talking on the phone. I can talk on the phone and drive because i can keep my eyes on the road. With texting i find i have to check on what i'm doing and look at the screen more than i look at the road.
ReplyDeleteIf the message was that important, why not just speed dial and talk? Is it worth risking your life? Some people still get distracted while on the phone and end up having accidents. I wouldn't be suprised if there are even more accidents due to young people texting.
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