DWT
posted by finneganLast night, TV3 ran a story on driving while texting that stated, “Virginians are some of the worst offenders in the nation when it comes to texting behind the wheel.”
The report they’re referring to is the one vlingo released yesterday.
Based on a survey of nearly 5,000 U.S. consumers that aimed to understand how, when and why consumers use text messaging, the report revealed that texting has taken hold as a mainstream communication vehicle. The study found that 55 percent of consumers now use text messaging and 42 percent use their mobile phones to text as much or more than they do to make calls. Additionally, 28 percent of consumers admit to driving while texting (defined as emailing, instant messaging or texting).
Virginia did not end up in the top five “states with the highest percentage of respondents who admit to DWT.” According to the vlingo report, the five worst offenders in the U.S. are South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Maryland and Louisiana. However, we came in 6th.
There were several bills introduced in General Assembly this year to prohibit DWT, but none got out of committee.
posted: May 22nd, 2008 by finnegan
filed under crime & punishment, news & meta-news.
Comments: 14
Comments
Comment from Scott Rogers
Time: May 22, 2008, 12:32 pm
>> Additionally, 28 percent of consumers admit to driving while texting (defined as emailing, instant messaging or texting).
Guilty as charged. :(
Comment from Bubby
Time: May 22, 2008, 1:20 pm
Last June a Virginia Tech student was texting, driving (and drunk) when she ran up on the sidewalk in Blacksburg and hit five people. This month she was convicted of felony maiming.
Comment from Josh
Time: May 22, 2008, 1:32 pm
Jott helps alleviate this issue somewhat. (http://jott.com/ as mentioned in twitter posts)
Comment from finnegan
Time: May 22, 2008, 1:34 pm
Yeah, I’m surprised at how well Jott works (as long as you speak clearly).
Comment from Christa Gitchell
Time: May 22, 2008, 3:08 pm
OK, I just want to know HOW anyone CAN text while driving. LOL
Comment from Frank J Witt
Time: May 22, 2008, 3:18 pm
Seat belt checks in progress in front of Red Front as I type.
Comment from David Miller
Time: May 22, 2008, 3:35 pm
Seat belt checks are such a rip off. How in the world the insurance companies lobbied successfully for that I will never understand (this coming from a fella who never goes anywhere without his seat belt on).
Comment from Barnabas
Time: May 22, 2008, 4:04 pm
This is really going to knock down the Twitter numbers.
Comment from David Miller
Time: May 22, 2008, 4:26 pm
Nah, police can tell if you are on the phone unless you use a hands-free kit, enforcing the no texting laws would be ridiculously difficult for police.
Comment from Bubby
Time: May 22, 2008, 5:21 pm
Texting is a rip off. I got one, and Verizon charged me for it - on top of their hefty monthly fees. That “feature” is now blocked.
Comment from cook
Time: May 22, 2008, 5:53 pm
christa, like this.
Comment from finnegan
Time: May 22, 2008, 5:59 pm
Eyes on the road, cook.
Comment from Christa
Time: May 22, 2008, 7:35 pm
OK cook, so you can multitask while driving. I, on the other hand, cannot. lol
Comment from Kyle
Time: May 30, 2008, 11:06 pm
I ride a motorcycle (a Harley of course) and I have two major thoughts each time I mount the bike, especially in Shen Valley. 1) Today, some fool old man with cataracts will try to kill me today and 2) some 20-something female ho talking on her cell phone will also try to kill me today. Unfortunately scenario #2 is the most realistic. If I could legally take a baseball bat to the head of these shallow hoes willing to kill people while talking to their BFs about nail polish, I would.
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