Name
Driven To Distraction
Description
At fifty miles per hour a heavy goods vehicle ploughed into stationary traffic, demolishing a small hatchback and ending the lives of the family of three within it. The twist in the tale? The driver was using his mobile phone, texting to his own wife that he was on his way home. This isn't the first tragedy caused by using a mobile phone while driving, but many are hoping that it can be made to be the last.
Validity
not valid for nations that have banned cars, banned mobile phones or have self driving cars.
The Debate
[option]"That driver... that idiot... He is a murderer!"" sobs @@randomfemalename@@, relative of the deceased family. "A vehicle is a deadly weapon. A driver using his phone while driving is like a chef throwing his cooking knives into a crowded restaurant: you can't claim that they don't know it's dangerous. A sentence of life imprisonment should be attached to this crime, and anyone who is caught using a phone while driving should be charged with attempted murder. The deterrence factor will stop this happening again, especially if you increase police presence to enforce this."
[effect]the police prioritise catching phone-using drivers over chasing down gangsters and human traffickers
[option]"Look, maybe we all know it's not good to check our phones all the time," suggests @@randomnakefirstname@@, a young government aide, his eyes flicking down to his jacket pocket in response to a message alert tone, "but it's something we've probably all done once or twice, and it's an easy thing to slip the mind. Education and adaptation is the key here instead: launch a national campaign of adverts to promote not using phones while driving, and maybe require the auto-industry to have hands-free mobile functionality as standard." His phone beeps again. "Uh... Do you mind if I check this...?"
[effect]ironic crashes into roadside neon signs promoting safe driving are always good for a laugh
[option]"Technology has caused the problem, let technology fix it," says @@randomname@@, a representative from manufacturer Fones4Me. "You don't need the laws to be any stricter than before, you just need to crowd-source your evidence provision. There's plenty of CCTV coverage of roads and traffic - make these recordings publicly available, and the public will he happy to comb through the footage to find pictures of drivers using phones while in control of a vehicle. Make this admissible in court, and your conviction rate will increase tenfold."
[effect]drivers are using their phone cameras to take pictures of dangerous drivers who use their phones while driving
[option]"Using a phone while driving just takes a bit of common sense and restraint," suggests auto mechanic @@randomname@@. "It shouldn't be a crime in itself, though obviously this idiot driver who killed that family should be punished for vehicular manslaughter. Way I see it, texting and driving is a bit like leaving off your seatbelt, or driving after smoking a joint, or eating a burger on the move, or resting one eye at a time for a semi-nap on the motorway: you should be allowed to use your own judgment as to whether you can handle it or not, but face up to the consequences if it goes wrong."
[effect]the auto-repair trade reports that business is booming
First draft:
