Teen Sentenced To Prison For Texting While Driving

Guard Dad

Guard Dad

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Got this from another forum and some interesting discussion ensued.

I don't think anyone will disagree that the young man should be punished for crossing the center line and causing another person's death; but his sentence is the first from a new law in Mass and he is charged with vehicle homicide by texting.

Do you agree with the new law and how it was handled, or do you feel it's yet another law that erodes our rights and sends us down a slippery slope?

Discuss...

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/06/12090348-massachusetts-teen-sentenced-to-prison-for-texting-while-driving?lite
 
IDK... I firmly believe a person's rights end where mine begin, and vice versa. He should not have done it. OTH, I am not a fan of making examples or scape goats. Does that make sense? I guess I view this as I would a drunk driver.

I don't know. I just think its a sad, sad situation that could have and should have been avoided.
 
Something most people forget is that driving is a privilege and not a right. And if you do something stupid (like texting while driving) and kill someone, you should be expected to pay dearly for your stupidity. I think the kid got off lite considered he killed someone. Doesn't matter if he did it with a gun, broomstick or his car, a person is dead. Taking a life in ANY manner should be considered homicide and life in prison!


But that's just me. I like to lock them up and throw away the key!
 
Let's see - there is a law that says "no texting and driving." He broke that law and killed someone. Now, what was your question....... :dunno
 
Texting is a distraction, no doubt.

But so is putting on make-up while driving, fiddling with the stereo, putting a passy in the baby's mouth, etc. What is next, a law against those things? Would you be OK with that?

The guy is responsible and should be punished, and the sentence is very reasonable IMO. But on a charge of "vehicular homicide while texting"? What's wrong with just vehicular homicide? Why is texting now a prison sentence offense?

I see some danger in passing laws like this.
 
Is texting a distraction? Yes. Was additional law needed? No, distracted driving was already against the law. His charge should be vehicular homicide. Period.

Of course, the drunk who was charged with DUI and serious injury by motor vehicle against my BFFs husband and daughter absconded and was never even tried.

I feel the same way about "hate crimes".
 
Madea said:
Is texting a distraction? Yes. Was additional law needed? No, distracted driving was already against the law. His charge should be vehicular homicide. Period.

Of course, the drunk who was charged with DUI and serious injury by motor vehicle against my BFFs husband and daughter absconded and was never even tried.

I feel the same way about "hate crimes".
Click to expand...

Bingo!
 
Guard Dad said:
Texting is a distraction, no doubt.

But so is putting on make-up while driving, fiddling with the stereo, putting a passy in the baby's mouth, etc. What is next, a law against those things? Would you be OK with that?

The guy is responsible and should be punished, and the sentence is very reasonable IMO. But on a charge of "vehicular homicide while texting"? What's wrong with just vehicular homicide? Why is texting now a prison sentence offense?

I see some danger in passing laws like this.
Click to expand...

Are you talking about the "law" or what the guy did and his punishment.
 
Laws specific to texting are nothing more than feel good legislation passed by elected officials trying to get votes out of sad situations. Distracted driving is distracted driving regardless of what causes the distraction and I am sick to death of the pointless additional laws specific to the one type of distraction. Had the guy been changing radio stations instead of texting he would not have been sentenced to jail and that's wrong. The dead person wouldn't be any less dead.
 
We clearly need a law against this next!!

DRIVINGA1.jpg
 
Meh, I'm ambivalent on the additional charge of texting. I think that there should be the charge of distracted driving, and if the distraction was so idiotic as texting or reading a newspaper, then certainly vehicular homicide should be thrown in there as a blatant stupidity charge.

What I'm completely against is the nanny state texting while walking laws. If you fall into a manhole or step out into the street, that's your own fault. It's self punishing, so deal with it.
 
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