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Comment by bengoodger | Hacker News Reader

IMO only when this is treated like DUI will it be taken more seriously. It sounds radical, but the activity is easily avoidable, seriously diminishes your focus and can have horrible consequences.

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It's already illegal to use a cell phone while driving in Ontario, Canada. Hands-free devices are still okay, however (I disagree with that part).

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/distracted-driving/

I'm guessing the penalties are not anywhere similar, however, which was the parent's point. Out here in California, a DUI generally ends up costing someone ~$10,000 after all is said and done (if I remember correctly). A cell phone ticket is nowhere near that.

For context, Driving while texting is already illegal in 41 of the US States, however, I believe what the parent was saying, is that the penalties need to be higher, like that associated with DUI.

Why do you disagree with hands-free devices? What do you think about conversing with a passenger during driving?

One reason I've heard is that when you're on the phone with someone, they don't know what's going on in the car whereas if you're talking with the person next to you and you suddenly need to focus all of your attention on the road, they can stop talking rather than adding to your distraction. Plus they provide a second set of eyes. I don't know how accurate and reliable that theory is, but it makes sense to me.

I also wonder if the mental effort of listening to a voice coming through on a speaker would make it harder to focus. I tend to have trouble hearing people when I'm talking on the phone; but that might just be me.

It's no more distracting than talk radio or some blaring annoying commercial which doesn't stop talking if I need to focus. When you have a handsfree device, just say "Hold on" and do what you need to do. You can always ask them to repeat themselves I you don't hear.

People usually don't talk back to the radio though. Thinking up a response to your conversational partner is where the distraction occurs.

DUI can be accurately tested with a breathalyzer. How would you expect these stiffer penalties to be enforced? I believe the current laws essentially require the offense to be directly observed by police or for the driver to inadvertently admit to it.

What if your car had a slot into which you were required to insert your phone in order to operate the vehicle.

What do you do when your phone is lost or stolen (or broken)?

Or if you have two.

Too bad impairment can't be accurately tested with a breathalyzer. That's what we are really worried about in all these scenarios after all.

Observation by police officers? I already see plenty of people texting while driving. The first hint is that they're driving like they're not paying attention. When you pull up alongside them you see them glancing down repetitively.

Also, the penalty fines are a joke. I think in CA at least they were very low, especially considering IMO distracted driving is way more dangerous than other simpler measures like speeding.

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