What is it with all the distracted driver lately.

[Eagle1]

In PA to fix the texting low cost tickets, they have added a phone in hand rule/law.

In Pennsylvania, a new law prohibits using handheld cell phones and other electronic devices while driving, starting June 5th. This means holding a phone, even at a red light or in traffic, is illegal. Violations could result in a $50 fine after a one-year warning period, according to a YouTube video. The law, known as Paul Miller's Law, aims to reduce distracted driving and improve road safe.

But it is only a comparatively small fine so not sure it will be enforced.
However, I have seen that most ticket now add admin, police, fire and other fees to make them more worthwhile to enforce and make it cover the actual costs to have police and admin handle the ticket.

But if you are not holding the phone (dash mount, etc) then what?
Does fiddling on your big touch screen car interface make you a more attentive driver? Entering a new address in your GPS while driving can be interesting. It's also tricky to drive while punching buttons on an OBD scanner trying to find an intermittent or speed depending problem. Not a Phone, right?

Need more laws...

 

[Jstpssng]

^^^^
As much as I refuse to talk to a phone or other electronic device, that's when it might be a tad safer to utilize voice recognition.

 

[Gator6x4]

This doesn't apply to interstate onramps where a yield sign is present. (Almost all of them).

One problem with quoting laws is you almost need training in reading them to read between the lines.

Here's the Illinois code for that.

625 ILCS 5/11-904

So what happens is you get some self righteous types that don't yield the passing lane or try to force an opening on the interstate or who don't understand that once a zipper is closed, you are no longer 'zipper' merging when you fly past the closed zipper.

Of course, none of this is distracting driving, it's ignorant driving.

The only way to fix distracted driving is for officers to focus on it as a problem. It's easier to "prove" speeding (revenue) or drunk driving (safety). Texting and driving has been shown to be as bad (or worse) than drunk driving, but the penalties are much lower.

The only distracted driving that is regulated is cell phone usage and this varies by state. Montana is an anything goes state.

Restrictions on cell phone use while driving in the United States - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[RandyT]

This doesn't apply to interstate onramps where a yield sign is present. (Almost all of them).

One problem with quoting laws is you almost need training in reading them to read between the lines.

Here's the Illinois code for that.

625 ILCS 5/11-904

So what happens is you get some self righteous types that don't yield the passing lane or try to force an opening on the interstate or who don't understand that once a zipper is closed, you are no longer 'zipper' merging when you fly past the closed zipper.

Of course, none of this is distracting driving, it's ignorant driving.

The only way to fix distracted driving is for officers to focus on it as a problem. It's easier to "prove" speeding (revenue) or drunk driving (safety). Texting and driving has been shown to be as bad (or worse) than drunk driving, but the penalties are much lower.

625 ILCS 5/11-904 Doesn't apply because it is for stop intersections. I listed the correct statute in my post 625 ILCS 5/11-905 Which is for merging traffic. And the interstate in IL don't have yield signs they have merge signs like in the article that was in the quote you posted.

And from your quote "So what happens is you get some self righteous types that don't yield the passing lane or try to force an opening on the interstate or who don't understand that once a zipper is closed, you are no longer 'zipper' merging when you fly past the closed zipper" If that results in an accident both drivers are liable.

Penalties for use of electronic device resulting in an accident can have some heavy penalties. Great bodily harm is a Class A Misdemeanor with up to 1 year in jail and $2,500 fine. Accidents causing death are a Class 4 felony with 1-3 years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines.

 

[Gator6x4]

625 ILCS 5/11-904 Doesn't apply because it is for stop intersections. I listed the correct statute in my post 625 ILCS 5/11-905 Which is for merging traffic. And the interstate in IL don't have yield signs they have merge signs like in the article that was in the quote you posted.

And from your quote "So what happens is you get some self righteous types that don't yield the passing lane or try to force an opening on the interstate or who don't understand that once a zipper is closed, you are no longer 'zipper' merging when you fly past the closed zipper" If that results in an accident both drivers are liable.

Penalties for use of electronic device resulting in an accident can have some heavy penalties. Great bodily harm is a Class A Misdemeanor with up to 1 year in jail and $2,500 fine. Accidents causing death are a Class 4 felony with 1-3 years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines.

Now - Now you are advocating for and asking for stupid to be legislated away. Can’t happen, will not happen.

 

[Torvy]

The state police clarification is when they use a merge sign, not a yield sign.

More clarification:

Highway On-Ramp Collisions: Who is at Fault?

Orland Park highway on-ramp collisions? Learn who's at fault in merging accidents, common causes, and legal rights.

www.fotopouloslaw.com

 

[Gator6x4]

The state police clarification is when they use a merge sign, not a yield sign.

More clarification:

Highway On-Ramp Collisions: Who is at Fault?

Orland Park highway on-ramp collisions? Learn who's at fault in merging accidents, common causes, and legal rights.

www.fotopouloslaw.com

The correct names for entry and exit ramps to Freeways or Multilane Interstate Highway is: Acceleration Lane - Deceleration Lane. Entry Lane - Judge the traffic flow and accelerate as you are trying to entry the freeway or Interstate and merge onto the travel lane at the speed the vehicles are traveling. Don't putt-putt down the acceleration lane looking over your left shoulder waiting for a vehicle on the freeway or Interstate to stop in the travel lane and allow you to putt-putt out into the fast moving traffic creating a moving road block traffic hazard.

Now to exit lanes - Deceleration Lane. Keep your head out of the part of your anatomy you sit on. Don't travel along in the outside or median lane until you are a hundred feet from where you are supposed to exit and then slam on the brakes and cut across one, two or three lane to make your exit. We are supposed to use the exit lanes to travel on while losing highway speed so we can safety exit the roadway without flying down the exit ramp at seventy miles per hour.

 

[RandyT]

The state police clarification is when they use a merge sign, not a yield sign.

More clarification:

Highway On-Ramp Collisions: Who is at Fault?

Orland Park highway on-ramp collisions? Learn who's at fault in merging accidents, common causes, and legal rights.

www.fotopouloslaw.com

Where is the yield sign

 

[Gator6x4]

Where is the yield sign View attachment 3886715

“If a full acceleration lane is provided at the interchange, then a 'Yield' sign is NOT to be used because the motorists are expected to safely merge with the mainline traffic as they enter the freeway or interstate.”

You just can’t fix stupid.

“Reports and surveys suggest a significant percentage of drivers in the US may misunderstand the rules associated with yield signs and caution lights.

Yield signs

• Some surveys indicate that 20-25% of licensed drivers cannot correctly articulate what to do at a yield sign.
• While a yield sign doesn't require a full stop like a stop sign, drivers must slow down, scan for traffic, and only proceed when it is safe to do so, according to YouTube.
• Common mistakes include coming to a complete stop when it's unnecessary (like a stop sign) and failing to slow down sufficiently or check for cross traffic before proceeding.
• Failure to yield correctly is a leading cause of traffic accidents, especially at intersections and in pedestrian accidents.

Caution lights

• A flashing yellow light or arrow signifies that drivers should slow down and proceed with caution.
• Drivers must be prepared to stop if there is oncoming traffic or pedestrians, according to Safe2Drive.
• A recent survey suggests that nearly a third of U.S. drivers are unsure they can identify warning lights on their dashboards.
• It's important to remember that a caution light indicates the need for drivers to make a safe and informed decision about proceeding, based on the current road conditions and traffic flow.

The misunderstandings surrounding yield signs and caution lights may be attributed to various factors, including shortcomings in driver education and training, according to Quora. “

 

[RayIN]

The correct names for entry and exit ramps to Freeways or Multilane Interstate Highway is: Acceleration Lane - Deceleration Lane. Entry Lane - Judge the traffic flow and accelerate as you are trying to entry the freeway or Interstate and merge onto the travel lane at the speed the vehicles are traveling. Don't putt-putt down the acceleration lane looking over your left shoulder waiting for a vehicle on the freeway or Interstate to stop in the travel lane and allow you to putt-putt out into the fast moving traffic creating a moving road block traffic hazard.

Now to exit lanes - Deceleration Lane. Keep your head out of the part of your anatomy you sit on. Don't travel along in the outside or median lane until you are a hundred feet from where you are supposed to exit and then slam on the brakes and cut across one, two or three lane to make your exit. We are supposed to use the exit lanes to travel on while losing highway speed so we can safety exit the roadway without flying down the exit ramp at seventy miles per hour.

Exception; Californian freeways, if a driver waits to slow down after they are in the "deceleration lane"/off-ramp, they are about ½ block from a stop sign.

 

[JeepHead]

Last night on my drive home from work I got stuck in traffic for an hour. A truck blew a red light and ran over a bicyclist decapitating them. The body was still on the side of the road when I drove past (covered by a tarp) and the state police photographer was taking pics of everything. Hard telling if the driver was intentionally blowing the light or distracted.

 

[kenmbz]

Last night on my drive home from work I got stuck in traffic for an hour. A truck blew a red light and ran over a bicyclist decapitating them. The body was still on the side of the road when I drove past (covered by a tarp) and the state police photographer was taking pics of everything. Hard telling if the driver was intentionally blowing the light or distracted.

That is sad and scary.

 

[D&D]

Last night on my drive home from work I got stuck in traffic for an hour. A truck blew a red light and ran over a bicyclist decapitating them. The body was still on the side of the road when I drove past (covered by a tarp) and the state police photographer was taking pics of everything. Hard telling if the driver was intentionally blowing the light or distracted.

Sounds ghastly. Perhaps the truck had a mechanical failure or the yellow to red time was shorter than the drivers reflexes?
In Md.,even with a green light, its up to the operator to ensure the intersection is clear before entering. Most places, bicyclists seem to believe they are exempt from all rules of the road. ( not claiming any fault, just opining)

 

[bdhsfz6]

Last night on my drive home from work I got stuck in traffic for an hour. A truck blew a red light and ran over a bicyclist decapitating them. The body was still on the side of the road when I drove past (covered by a tarp) and the state police photographer was taking pics of everything. Hard telling if the driver was intentionally blowing the light or distracted.

This is indeed a sad story. It's also the reason I gave up riding my bicycle on public roads. At first, I stopped riding on busy streets and continued to ride back roads with little or no traffic. That was until I was riding a dirt road near my house one day when a delivery truck came up behind me. I saw in my mirror that he was texting and not paying attention to the road. He drifted onto the shoulder and would have run me over if I hadn't swerved off the road into the brush! The driver actually put two wheels in the ditch and almost flipped the truck before he realized what was happening!

I continue to ride my bikes, but only on trails and bike paths.

 

[JeepHead]

Sounds ghastly. Perhaps the truck had a mechanical failure or the yellow to red time was shorter than the drivers reflexes?
In Md.,even with a green light, its up to the operator to ensure the intersection is clear before entering. Most places, bicyclists seem to believe they are exempt from all rules of the road. ( not claiming any fault, just opining)

This is very much the case where I am. This area is famous for bicycling and is where the the story and movie Breaking Away was filmed. The bicyclist here definitely feel as if they own the road and most are hilly curvy roads. It's a wonder more of them aren't hit every year.

This particular instance was on a 4 lane highway with very clear line of sight. Not sure of the details yet, just what a couple eye witnesses posted on social media. Waiting for the new article to come out today.

 

[D&D]

I continue to ride my bikes, but only on trails and bike paths.

That's what I don't get. My county has spent untold thousands building miles of bike trails. The rural roads still get more bike traffic than the trails see.

 

[Oaktree]

But it is only a comparatively small fine so not sure it will be enforced.
However, I have seen that most ticket now add admin, police, fire and other fees to make them more worthwhile to enforce and make it cover the actual costs to have police and admin handle the ticket.

And there's the key...actually enforce these laws, and make the penalties severe enough to actually have an impact.

 

[Oaktree]

That's what I don't get. My county has spent untold thousands building miles of bike trails. The rural roads still get more bike traffic than the trails see.

Do the trails actually go anywhere people want to go?

 

[Jstpssng]

It's also the reason I gave up riding my bicycle on public roads

Also the reason I sold my motorcycle 35 years ago...

 

[D&D]

Do the trails actually go anywhere people want to go?

Depends.....define "want to go". dining, shopping and movies? Yes
Bars and dance venues, No River frontage on 3 different rivers, Yes
Creeks and natural preserves, Yes