Texting Truck Driver Charged in horrific east-metro crash.

I’m sure many have heard about this week’s horrific east metro crash on Hwy 36 in Lake Elmo. I happened to drive by this crash scene about 2 hours after it happened and the vehicle carnage was horrific. A semi-truck driver was, according to the investigation report, web surfing and texting when he slammed into a stopped car at a traffic light. He was going 63 MPH and never touched the brake until way after the fatal impact.

The truck driver’s in-cab camera showed investigators that his head was down looking at the phone in his lap for almost 8 seconds before impact. He covered over 200 yards during that time. His phone records show he was browsing homes on Zillo when his truck slammed into the stopped car, crushing it so badly that it took investigators over 2 hours to determine the exact model of the vehicle.

Criminal vehicular homicide charges were filed yesterday, but I have to think there is no justice that can possibly be had here when this texting maniac killed a husband and father of 3.

What is going to put a stop to this texting while driving crap? How long will it be before people get the massage that they will KILL somebody? My kids have become experts at spotting TextPerps while we’re on the road. It is STUNNING how often they see idiots texting. We can hardly drive 10 miles anywhere in the cities without them calling out at least one TextPerp to me. Horrific.

Grouse

With that dickhead that murdered the 8 year old boy on Chisago maybe getting 10 years what do you think this guy will get? Im guessing a slap on the wrist.

I still say it’s time to implement GPS technology. If the phone is moving faster than 5 MPH, it shuts down. If you find this to be annoying or inconvenient, tough. Somehow people managed to live for thousands of years without staring at a telephone all the time, I’ll bet they could handle it now. I can avoid a lot of drunk drivers by getting home early in the evening. I can’t avoid the telephone idiots and I have no patience with them.

SR

This is just so depressing to read. man I feel for that family. R.I.P.

I believe there was a long thread about texting and driving last year. Im sure that could be dug up to cover all of the opinions on changes

why should it be anything else then premeditated murders and an auto death sentence?

I wonder how many people have managed to get away with crashes that they caused by texting while driving by being able to hide their phone, delete messages, and lying about the cause to Police?

Out of respect for the family of the victim in the Lake Elmo murder, I do NOT favor releasing the perp’s dash-cam video. There were reports online yesterday that news organizations had been trying to get it.

Apparently, the truck had both forward facing and driver facing cameras and the video is sickening. I know some will argue that the video could be used to scare TextPerps straight, but if you haven’t gotten the message by now…

Grouse

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

I wonder how many people have managed to get away with crashes that they caused by texting while driving by being able to hide their phone, delete messages, and lying about the cause to Police?

None if they choose to investigate it. All of those txts, calls, log on time are recorded and stored at the phone company. Even if deleted off the phone.

They can even track your movements if your phone is simply turned on. So don’t lie to a cop about were you were at a certain time if you had a live phone in your pocket.

-J.

roger wrote:

why should it be anything else then premeditated murders and an auto death sentence?

Since since it’s clear that’s the direction this is going, I feel it’s usless to participate in this thread.

No just distracted driving either. Google up “Distracted Pedestrian Deaths”. I nearly run over 2-3 of these idiots a year in DT St Paul. It is only a matter of time “before I run tire tracks across your back….” Two of these dumb asses walked right into moving light rail trains already this year!

-J.

Back to the OP. Yes, horrible. Had to stop and think the guy was the same age as me. Terrible way to be taken out. The truck drivers life is over. After a likely 10 plus year prison sentence, he will be paying fines and restitution for the rest of his working years. If he ever gets a job again. Another life ruined.

-J.

Yep. One second sitiing on the phone making plans or the future. Next second your future is gone.

Jon Jordan wrote:

Another life ruined.

That’s part of my point.

Here’s another thing that I have trouble with.

The penalty for the guy pulled over and ticketed for distracted driving gets a small fine and the guys that causes a deadly accident gets years in prison. Same exact act, but one is a crime and one isn’t.

This is always a sign to me that there isn’t enough emphasis or action on a real solution.

Same as the gun control debate. Knee jerk feel good reactions. Our society needs to grow up and address problems at their core.

Where do you think the line should be drawn on maps / navigation apps?

Steve Root wrote:

I still say it’s time to implement GPS technology. If the phone is moving faster than 5 MPH, it shuts down.

There’s a setting on your phone that will basically do just that. I use it and encourage everyone else to as well, as we have become like Pavlov’s dogs when that phone buzzes or beeps.

I recently had a Continuing Ed course on distracted driving. The studies done thus far indicate it to being worse than Drunk Driving. Yet while many of us would stop a friend or family member from driving drunk, we don’t (yet) have the same reaction to distracted driving. Also, this affects all of us at least a little as in MN every insurance company is taking a rate increase this year, and it’s largely attributed to the increase in claims frequency likely from accidents from distracted driving.

Background checks to own a smartphone with age 21 to purchase

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Steve Root wrote:</div>
I still say it’s time to implement GPS technology. If the phone is moving faster than 5 MPH, it shuts down.

There’s a setting on your phone that will basically do just that. I use it and encourage everyone else to as well, as we have become like Pavlov’s dogs when that phone buzzes or beeps.

I recently had a Continuing Ed course on distracted driving. The studies done thus far indicate it to being worse than Drunk Driving. Yet while many of us would stop a friend or family member from driving drunk, we don’t (yet) have the same reaction to distracted driving. Also, this affects all of us at least a little as in MN every insurance company is taking a rate increase this year, and it’s largely attributed to the increase in claims frequency likely from accidents from distracted driving.

can you elaborate? I have an android and cannot locate any setting

crappie55369 wrote:

can you elaborate?

I have an iPhone, so not sure if it will be in the exact same location on Droid. But if you go into Settings, Do Not Disturb, there should be an option to activate while driving. So I have that on, plus an auto reply to texts that says, “I’m Driving with Do Not Disturb While Driving turned on. I’ll see your message when I get where I’m going.”

I hope they come down as hard on texting (or operating a phone) while driving as they have on gun control. I think texting and driving kills more people per year then any AR-15 has.

Put your d*mned phone down and drive !!!!!!!

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>crappie55369 wrote:</div>
can you elaborate?

I have an iPhone, so not sure if it will be in the exact same location on Droid. But if you go into Settings, Do Not Disturb, there should be an option to activate while driving. So I have that on, plus an auto reply to texts that says, “I’m Driving with Do Not Disturb While Driving turned on. I’ll see your message when I get where I’m going.”

When I’m blue toothed into my truck with my droid it gives the same message. I can also answer and make phone call via voice command so it’s all hands free.

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>crappie55369 wrote:</div>
can you elaborate?

I have an iPhone, so not sure if it will be in the exact same location on Droid. But if you go into Settings, Do Not Disturb, there should be an option to activate while driving. So I have that on, plus an auto reply to texts that says, “I’m Driving with Do Not Disturb While Driving turned on. I’ll see your message when I get where I’m going.”

thanks. doesn’t look like my phone has that option. I did set a do not disturb option though where I programmed it to turn on at the time during my commute home

Seeing as he was driving a commercial vehicle I’d imagine they will come down hard on him.

Even just touching your phone while driving a semi can be something like a $10k fine.

crappie55369 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>BigWerm wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>crappie55369 wrote:</div>
can you elaborate?

I have an iPhone, so not sure if it will be in the exact same location on Droid. But if you go into Settings, Do Not Disturb, there should be an option to activate while driving. So I have that on, plus an auto reply to texts that says, “I’m Driving with Do Not Disturb While Driving turned on. I’ll see your message when I get where I’m going.”

thanks. doesn’t look like my phone has that option. I did set a do not disturb option though where I programmed it to turn on at the time during my commute home

There are apps you can download. Not sure of the names however.

munchy wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>crappie55369 wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>BigWerm wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>crappie55369 wrote:</div>
can you elaborate?

I have an iPhone, so not sure if it will be in the exact same location on Droid. But if you go into Settings, Do Not Disturb, there should be an option to activate while driving. So I have that on, plus an auto reply to texts that says, “I’m Driving with Do Not Disturb While Driving turned on. I’ll see your message when I get where I’m going.”

thanks. doesn’t look like my phone has that option. I did set a do not disturb option though where I programmed it to turn on at the time during my commute home

There are apps you can download. Not sure of the names however.

There are a few. Most of them look like they are tailored to work with your smartcar. Since I drive a 1997 and my dashboard looks more like a dusty star ship enterprise prop than a computer system that wont do much good for me. Ill just keep the phone turned off. works for me

Maybe you can find one here Crappie. I don’t have an Android so I can’t check but looks like some good reading.

Best Apps

lindyrig79 wrote:

Where do you think the line should be drawn on maps / navigation apps?

Having them in use is fine, but ANY manual entering of data into a smartphone while driving should be illegal. Voice commands fine, but if you’re typing, you aren’t driving and it’s just as bad as texting.

Grouse

Jesse Krook wrote:

I hope they come down as hard on texting (or operating a phone) while driving as they have on gun control. I think texting and driving kills more people per year then any AR-15 has.

Put your d*mned phone down and drive !!!!!!!

Even if they made it a crime benefit will be very limited. It’s been said over and over, the technology is there, make it unusable while driving. Mandate it. Focus on this first.

Then any offenders can be prosecuted more heavily for hacking their phones and skirting the system.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>lindyrig79 wrote:</div>
Where do you think the line should be drawn on maps / navigation apps?

Having them in use is fine, but ANY manual entering of data into a smartphone while driving should be illegal. Voice commands fine, but if you’re typing, you aren’t driving and it’s just as bad as texting.

Grouse

This would suck for passengers.

So it sucks for passengers, so what. It sucks for the family and friends of the guy killed.

Nowhere in the constitution (we are big on the constitution here) does it say you have a right to injure others rather then be inconvenienced yourself. As a society we have to get over this “I’m more important then the other guy mentality”.

Think osha now requires blue tooth in commercial vehicles.

suzuki wrote:

This would suck for passengers.

Not following you. Why would it suck for passengers that the driver could not type into a smartphone while driving?

In my mind, what would suck for the passengers most is dying in a fiery wreck when their distracted driver plowed into a stopped car.

Grouse