comment: >
  
  In my country (UK), It's illegal to use your phone while driving.
context: Pretty sure I drive better drunk than I do while texting. >
  
  How do you know…? >
  
  I don't. Lol I won't even drive the next morning. >
  
  Agreed. But it's hard to prove. As it is now, it's just a ticket with a cop's word against the person. 
  We would be giving cops absolute authority to ruin someone's life with zero proof. A DUI charge would financially ruin your average American who lives paycheck to paycheck. >
  
  yeah that's true. A cop once pulled me over for being on my phone. In reality i was just vaping. It's really exhausting to "prove" you did nothing wrong. Of course this doesn't apply to every cop but the one i had was so hurt in his ego because he was wrong, that he desperately tried to find something else i might have done wrong. It took 30 minutes till i could go on.
  I don't really know any good way of catching drivers on their phone that wouldn't lead to other big problems. >
  
  In the UAE there are artificial intelligence speed cameras all over the place that can detect if you are texting and driving and then it is forwarded to humans for verification and you get ‘black points’ and if it exceeds a certain number of points you get your license taken away. Texting and driving is extremely dangerous. >
  
  I'll drink to that! >
  
  In Norway you get a fine equivalent of 700 USD and 3 "strikes" out of 8 before you lose your license.  
  As a motorcyclist, I'd wish it was more. >
  
  As a motorcyclist I know you see the worst of the worst driving.
  I hope that penalty is just for the texting. Where I was from in the US the fine for drunk driving was about 25 times higher than this but texting was right around here.. I think. >
  
  I agree! Every time I see someone texting while driving it just makes me mad. >
  
  Agreed, but is this even an unpopular opinion? >
  
  I think it's even worse. I can't quote the statistic, but I would be willing to bet on it that more accidents are due to phone use rather than alcohol use. >
  
  Make the fines as high as they are for commercial drivers and it might make people think twice. It’s a $2750 fine in the US for a commercial driver to hold their phone while driving. >
  
  I think it's much worse >
  
  If you keep it in your lap, it's hard to prove. >
  
  Texting while driving is actually more dangerous than driving drunk, I'm in favor of upping the punishment for both crimes. >
  
  Leaving your hi-beams on while driving around other people should carry the same weight as drunk driving. Mfers are out here blinding me. >
  
  Drunk driving is punished too lightly. Its literally the easiest thing in the world to not drive drunk. Anyone who does so should permanently lose their license. One and done. 
  Texting should be treated how drunk driving is now not the permanent loss. We are so forgiving for drunk drivers. Just a slap on the wrist and back out to threaten everyone's lives. Even after multiple times they get to keep on putting us all in danger. >
  
  You may be surprised, it lingers in the blood longer than you may think. I bet many of us have driven just over the limit the morning after a heavy session. >
  
  Yea I highly doubt I have. I won't drive even if I've had one drink and it's been hours and hours. If I drink a lot on a Friday I usually don't drive until Saturday evening or even Sunday. 
  I don't fuck around with driving. Its a huge death machine your in control of. I won't do it tired wont do it sick or drinking. >
  
  Yeah, right. >
  
  Why the hell would you risk lives just to drive somewhere? There's so many alternatives.  People who don't take this shit seriously piss me off. >
  
  Drunk driving is easily verifiable through breathalyzers and the punishment is severe. If texting and driving carried the same weight what tool would police use to accurately accuse you? Surely their mere accusation wouldn’t be enough and if it were many pos cops would abuse that law and falsely detain people. They would probably need photo or video evidence right? Would other drivers or police be relied on to capture footage? What would they use? They can’t use a handheld device and try to manually capture it because that would be equally reckless while driving. Should all cars have mandatory video cameras in them monitoring people? In other words what practical way would police enforce this law? I mean how likely or often is a police officer in a position to obtain such evidence. They don’t need evidence to give you a ticket for not wearing your seatbelt buts that’s a minor offense we’re talking about a serious criminal act here >
  
  Would tinted windows have to be outlawed as well so everyone can clearly see into your vehicle just in case your texting? I understand that your suggesting a preventative measure here as people who harm others while texting can be charged with involuntary manslaughter if evidence of them texting surfaces as it stands. But isn’t that enough along with educating people especially youth on the dangers of texting and driving instead of making it illegal as a preventative measure? >
  
  And u can tell.. they’re driving 10 miles under the speed limit… have to hunk you horn to get ‘‘em to go at a traffic signal >
  
  Difference I suppose is being drunk is a constant impairment from point A to B. Texting can be a temporary distraction in an otherwise capable person, so therefore it comes down to what happens at that particular time. Kill someone while texting and it absolutely can be taken as seriously as being drunk. Also there is the feeling in the back of my mind that we do often do lots of things driving that are kinda like texting. Changing radio stations, operating a sat nav, operating the heating, pushing buttons, talking, singing. Can't legislate for those but you can a specific task like using a phone. >
  
  Multiple tests have show using a phone even hands free impairs you more then being drunk does so >
  
  So, your saying being on the phone on Bluetooth impairs you more then being actually drunk while driving? That’s very interesting that you believe that.