Driver texting on cell phone hits police car
May 26, 2009 by Fred HosierPosted in: Bizarre Accident of the Week, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, Transportation safety
Here’s one way to draw attention to the dangers of texting while driving: In Missouri, a man was so busy using his cell phone while driving that he plowed into two stopped police cars.
The crash sent two police officers to the hospital with minor injuries.
The fact that the officers only received minor injuries doesn’t do justice to this story. Both police cars are total losses, as you can see from video taken by WDAF-TV.
Police were stopped on Interstate 29 because of a one-car accident.
The texting driver ran into the back of one stopped police car, knocking it into another one. Police say there’s no evidence that brakes were applied before the crash.
Police charged the texting driver with DWI, careless driving and failure to yield. Missouri just passed a ban on texting, but it only applies to drivers under 21. This driver was 25.
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May 26th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Why ban texting only for drivers under 25 years old? That doesn’t make sense. Either ban it for everyone or no one.
I think it is a better idea instead of a law banning texting to just impose higher fines for drivers who were texting while driving.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:14 pm
I agree, a ban only for under 21 years of age is ridiculous. Texting while driving should be banned for all ages.
But Just a larger fine? I am reasonably sure that the first response of anyone suffering damage to person or property is not going to be “Well, at least they have to pay a larger fine”. The charges should be driving to endanger, include a hefty fine and a requirement to take a driver’s ed class (yes the whole class along with all the beginners – no shortcuts – if you are so clueless as to what safe driving entails, start over)
June 1st, 2009 at 2:54 pm
yes texting and driving are bad, but I am totally surprised they didn’t mention the DWI until the end of the article. DWI is bad in itself and is a total distraction to driving.
June 1st, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Article says texting MAY have caused. Then reading you find out it was a DWI. Just proves the point on how the media can control the masses on what they want people to think is important. Remember more crashes are still caused by eating but the Cell phone is getting the attention.
June 2nd, 2009 at 8:04 am
I agree with everyone here. Texting is texting and the law should include everyone. To assume that testing is an age based problem is unrealistic. I have a cell phone however, I rarely use it while driving and if so I make the conversations brief or pull over. Do this next time your out. Take notice of the cars around you and make a note as to how many people or yapping away on their cell phones while they should be concentrating on driving. It’s amazing to me that people feel that what they have to say is soo important that it cannot wait a few minutes until they get to where they are going. I did this excercise and it was harder to find people not using the phone while driving.
June 2nd, 2009 at 9:25 am
Eating and driving has been around alot longer than texting and driving. Give the text a few years to rack up some statistics for you. Anyone with a molecule of common sense should know that a practice that requires two hands and visual attention should NEVER been done while driving. The cell phone can be controlled with care and limited use. However, TEXTING while driving is just plain moronic.
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Agree with everyone, but lets take all those persons applying makeup in the car while driving. Its always amazing what a driver is doing other than just driving.
Lets raise up the fines that persons may attention to what they are supposed to be doing, and of course the main idea here is Safe Driving. If you have a drivers license no matter what age, you should be held responsible .
June 4th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Hopefully one day anyone involved in an accident will have their cellphone records pulled to see if they were either talking or texting near the time of the accident. I travel a lot for work and its amazing some of the things I see. I saw a guy last week with a newspaper over his steering wheel, while talking on a cell phone, and a laptop open on the passenger seat, all while drinking coffee. Wow!
June 9th, 2009 at 8:37 am
In addition to the above, if the guy was driving an SUV, the article would have said “SUV-driving texter hits two police cars.” Media are so agenda driven these days and their liberal-leaning biases are really disturbing.
June 9th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Are you honestly saying that if someone believes texting while driving is moronic and irresponsible, they are “agenda driven” with “liberal-leaning biases” WOW!
September 1st, 2009 at 9:38 am
I believe that all cell phone use should be illegal while driving. If one life is spared it is worth it for the rest of us to have to wait until the car stops moving to use our phones. The life that is spared could be yours, or mine, or my daughters, or your fathers.
September 1st, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Drunken driver hits police car while texting.
This is what the title of the article should be. There should have been more emphasis on the DWI.
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:56 am
BTW – what connection does this have with Safety and Work? Perhaps the cops could have been more diligent with their duties? Maybe the emergency personnel could have marked the accident spot better?
I think Hosier is running out of material.
September 2nd, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Editor’s reply to LEU: Anybody in charge of safety at their company who has employees driving for the company, whether it be tractor trailers, smaller delivery trucks, or salespeople driving from client to client, should know about the dangers of texting or talking on a hand-held cell phone and driving.
September 2nd, 2009 at 4:02 pm
You mean there’s such a thing as a hand-held cell phone? Never heard of such a newfangled gadget such as that. Next you’ll tell me they have machines that can fly like birds.
December 18th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Why not just microchip phones to disable the messaging portion while the phone is in motion beyond 15 miles an hour? That way even your passenger’s can’t text. I mean since some people are compulsive and have no self control why not just force additional legislation down our throats. Sure disable phone calls to just allow 911 during travel also. Where do we sign up to relinquish our rights?