Texting while Driving: Access to report?

[Cajungaltx]

I'm on another forum - a 'mom' board - and there is a government made 'public saftey' movie about texting. I wanted to put a link about this kid (3 years old) who was severly injured when the vehicle hewas driving in was rearended by an 18 year old driver they 'think' was texting. The article says that the DPS is still compiling the formal report.

Story here

Graphic photos of little boy here

I have spent the last hour trying to find out - a.) it was CONFIRMED she was texting - thus texting was the cause... or b.) it was NOT confirmed... and thus texting was NOT the known cause.

But I am coming up blank. Is there a site to access reports like this, or is this considered 'private' information?

[Brains]

This is one instance I hope the investigators are aware of the "black box" in the truck she was driving. It will show, regardless of what was preoccupying the driver, the entire state of the vehicle in the moments before the crash (ie. was the brake applied, was the throttle open and how far, etc.).

[KdLaneJr]

Not up on texas law regarding accident reports, but as far as I know, police reports in general are public record, although finding what you're looking for may require a trip to the cognizant police station records division. Information that is not contained in the report regarding "confirmed" texting would probably be confidential between her attorney and the district attorney's office in so much as it would be an allegation until properly collected evidence of it was obtained.

[BWangPhoto]

Who cares if it is confirmed or not, they need to ban texting period while driving. There is no way you can text and pay attention while driving.

[photonewb]

Originally Posted by KdLaneJr

Not up on texas law regarding accident reports, but as far as I know, police reports in general are public record, although finding what you're looking for may require a trip to the cognizant police station records division. Information that is not contained in the report regarding "confirmed" texting would probably be confidential between her attorney and the district attorney's office in so much as it would be an allegation until properly collected evidence of it was obtained.

accident reports are, but personal phone records will not be.

[Jeff_Green]

Originally Posted by BWangPhoto

Who cares if it is confirmed or not, they need to ban texting period while driving. There is no way you can text and pay attention while driving.

How far are you willing to go in allowing the government to tell you what you can and can't do in your automobile?

[ngoduyviet]

Originally Posted by Jeff_Green

How far are you willing to go in allowing the government to tell you what you can and can't do in your automobile?

Although I don't condone a lot of "laws" or what the gov. dictate what I or any of us can or can not do. I think this is just common sense. Texting &/or talking on the phone have caused more accidents every day and it should be banned.

[kenw]

Originally Posted by ngoduyviet

Although I don't condone a lot of "laws" or what the gov. dictate what I or any of us can or can not do. I think this is just common sense. Texting &/or talking on the phone have caused more accidents every day and it should be banned.

'tis a slippery slope my friend. Actually higher on the list are:

talking to a passenger in the car
fiddling with the radio buttons
looking for roadsigns

do we ban these? I don't necessarily disagree with you, but be aware that distraction includes a lot of things we "think" we are perfectly capable of doing while driving.

[Jeff_Green]

Originally Posted by ngoduyviet

Although I don't condone a lot of "laws" or what the gov. dictate what I or any of us can or can not do. I think this is just common sense. Texting &/or talking on the phone have caused more accidents every day and it should be banned.

Big mistake. The more we expect government to make laws based on common sense, the less freedomswe find ourselves with.

[BWangPhoto]

Originally Posted by Jeff_Green

Big mistake. The more we expect government to make laws based on common sense, the less freedomswe find ourselves with.

Yup, and the first time it happens to you, it will be WHY didn't they do something about this. Your "common sense" approach to this means we shouldn't have drunk driving laws either...

If all people acted responsibly and with common sense all the time, we really would need laws and someone to enforce them in the first place. This is just a fact of life.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by Jeff_Green

How far are you willing to go in allowing the government to tell you what you can and can't do in your automobile?

When the activity endangers other drivers on the road, I have absolutely no problem with it. If someone wants to drive down a private road, with one else around, while texting... fine. The whole reason for safety laws is for the public's safety (well, that and some people are just too stupid or naive to use common sense). I believe a law prohibiting texting while driving would be a very prudent move by the legislature.

[jeffro20]

Here's a recent PSA from the UK that is making the rounds via Youtube......perhaps you have seen it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwTPCK9L-Gc

[Cajungaltx]

Jeff- that would be the same PSA that they were showing, lol.

[jeffro20]

Originally Posted by Cajungaltx

Jeff- that would be the same PSA that they were showing, lol.

Was wondering if that was the one you might be referring to. They were talking about it yesterday on NBC Today Show.

[ronocnikral]

I agree that texting while driving should be banned. Jeff, are you against driving while intoxicated? Seat belts on the other hand, I can't agree with that law.

I think the best advice I got about texting while driving is what my father in law told me about my wife. He said, "If you catch her doing it, break what ever fingers she is using to text."