Where's AAA on this story?

[sailordave]

http://www.wgal.com/news/16988172/detail.html

Guy in an SUV was going about ten mph above the posted speed limit and was typing a text message while he drove when he hit and killed a man crossing the street. Bet he was one of those dangerous hypermilers. He wasn't? Oh, well then I guess AAA won't be releasing any statements to the press. I don't remember a single AAA statement to the press regarding textmessaging while driving. Confirmed deaths from hypermiling,...0. Confirmed deaths from textmessaging,...1.

[JusBringIt]

what about those 5 girls that got killed cuz the driver was texting. they were all in high school and this was pre graduation. happened just over a year ago.

[Shiba3420]

http://www.aaanewsroom.net/main/Defa...&ArticleID=554

As much as I dislike AAA for their little tantrum about hypermiling and for their usual stance against higher gas mileage mandates, let not trash them inappropriatly. They have come out against distracted driving (including cell phone usage and text messaging). Even when they complaining about hypermiling, the specific habits they complained about were correct in as far as those habits are dangerous. Their primary mistake with that aricle was associating hypermilers with those habits.

[fixedintime]

Best I can get from a google search is that AAA's position on cell phones seems to be that it is one of many driver distractions and does not come in very high on the list of distractions. Therefore they don't seem to favor taking any actions on the use of cell phone and driving.

I have yet to figure out how they get any good data on these things. There was a guy who hit me once - I had been sitting still in traffic for a solid minute when he did it - he said he was distracted. The truth was he was being an idiot aggressive driver so instead of telling the truth he lied.

Then there was the cop I know who arrives at an accident scene and the "innocent" party immediately says the other woman was on her cell phone when the accident happened. When they checked the woman's call records it turned out her first call of the day was to 911 to report the accident.

So if there is an accident they can check cell phone records to see if you were on the phone. There is no good way to know how many times you are on a phone and did not have an accident. Since it is not cool to say you were on a cell phone or that you were an aggressive driver the easiest out is to plead "accident" and say you were distracted - the radio, the defroster, or the like. So I very much suspect that distractions are over reported and cell phone issues are under reported. At least with the cell phone there is a chance to verify the driver's claims.

[kwj]

Shiba, this statement is not entirely true: "Even when they complaining about Hypermiling , the specific habits they complained about were correct in as far as those habits are dangerous."

They have complained about tire pressures above placard, and turning off engines at stop signs as though those things are extremely dangerous. Heck, in much of Europe there are signs at traffic lights, reminding people to shut down their engines to save fuel. AAA needs to get on the ball, they are so '80s.

Only two of their complaints hold any merit, tailgating and disregarding stop signs, things we don't do.

[laurieaw]

i got passed today on the way home by a girl texting while she was driving. lucky her, i caught up with her at the next light, and her windows were open, as were mine. i told her in a rather firm voice "not while driving." she just smiled and drove off, still with her phone in front of her face.

[koreberg]

You were 2 nice, I would have used some 4 letter words and probably thrown in a deedeedee for good measure.

[msantos]

Well, I still I swear by the imagery of a raised cell phone snapping a video or photo of the the deed. Many of the offenders get the message as well as a moment to think about it all without any words exchanged.

Of course, it also helps to be safe while doing it.

Cheers;

MSantos