Best way to put the brakes on bad driving?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Bad drivers, beware... USA Today reports that several states are trying to cut down on bad drivers by going after so-called super speeders, lane hogs and drivers with multiple moving violations.
Turns out aggressive drivers may kill more people than drunk drivers... With a recent AAA study finding that things like speeding, tailgating, weaving in and out of traffic, etc. were a factor in 56-percent of all crashes.
So states are cracking down...
In Florida, the worst drivers will have to go back to driving school. A driver who is found at fault in three-crashes over three-years will have to pass a driver's ed course and a road test - just like a beginning driver.
In Georgia, super speeders will be fined an extra $200. This applies to all drivers going faster than 75 mph on two-lane roads - or faster than 85 mph on any road. The new fine is expected to generate $23 million a year - sounds like an idea a lot of states could use to raise some much-needed cash.
In Kansas, the new Right Lane Law makes it illegal to drive in the far left lane, unless you're passing or turning left.
Also - Other states have launched campaigns against aggressive driving trying to reduce road rage; and officers have been targeting drunken drivers, speeders and those not wearing seat belts.
Here’s my question to you: What's the best way to put the brakes on bad driving?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Dave from New Hampshire writes:
Jack, I get so sick of hearing about the danger of using cell phones while driving. It would be so easy to design a car that would block the use of a phone by the driver while the car is in anything but park! We have the technology to do this. The only reason it's not being done is because the lobbyists would be in an uproar about how this would cut into the profits of the phone companies. Money is more important than lives, haven't ya heard?
Keith writes:
Anyone with a lawyer automatically gets their ticket reduced. They are in bed with the court. Get rid of this arrangement. How does a speeding ticket end up becoming a failure to use a turn signal? Why does a card from your pal the cop act as a get-out-of-jail-free card? We need a stronger police presence, increased fines, and no institutionalized leniency from the police, court, and lawyers.
Dave writes:
Jack, Easy: Camera then tickets. One ticket in the mail for a few hundred dollars will make a believer out of you. It did me.
Tom from Toronto writes:
Jack, That's nothing! In Toronto, Ontario, the fine for speeding over 150 kilometers/hour (approx. 95 miles/hr) is a fine of $10,000, your license revoked and car impounded on the spot. It's advertised on sign along the highways, and seems to be working.
Sue from Redwood City, California writes:
Having someone go back to traffic school if they caused 3 crashes in 3 years is insane! I think there needs to be a "3 strikes, you're out" law and their licenses should be taken away forever.
Dennis from Boulder, Colorado writes:
Jack, Isn't it ironic that the young, who have long lives in front of them, are in such a rush, and the old, who don't have as much time left, are in no hurry to get somewhere?
@jackcafferty on Twitter
It would require a major increase in enforcement and traffic police who actually enforce the laws instead of "some" of them. BAN USE OF CELL PHONES WHILE DRIVING...PERIOD. The driving has gotten so bad the only way is to fine them every time or take their license away and for serious repeat offenders, put them in jail. The amazing thing to me is the total disregard for not only for traffic laws but common courtesy. Maybe some day we will worry about why we kill 30,000 to 40,000 people a year on the roads and work on solving that problem.
Nothing Jack, as long as states keep issuing licenses to 15 and 16 year olds, as long as alcohol is legal, as long as people over 80 can continue driving, as long as people have cell phones .. and the list goes on and on..... bad driving will always be here to stay.....
Jack,
Stiffer penalties for DUIs and mandatory annual driving tests for everyone under the age of 25 and over the age of 60. They could also create some kind of window where people in the most at-risk age brackets have more harsh penalties for crimes such as reckless, inattentive or aggressive driving.
Brian
Boise, ID
Start impounding cars. If you want people to change, you have to make not changing a major inconvenience.
Oh please dear Jack. Come to Tx where you will get mowed over in any lane you drive in. You get in the slow poke lane and the trucks will run over you since they cannot drive in the fast lane and while dodging trucks you have some idiot weaving in and out of traffic and the only way to stop this is to shrink the cars where you think a squirrel is under the hood and then there will always be some jerk driving like a crazy loon because hell aint but half full.
Jack,
Take the Car!
If thet doesn't work.
Take thier Freedom!
I think it was George Carlin that said we should all be issued rubber darts and a dart gun. When someone does something stupid, you shoot their back window with a dart. Anyone with three darts on the back of their car cannot drive anymore that day.
Jack this is a no brainer! Fine the drivers, suspend their licenses and make them retake the written and driving tests before they can get their licences reissued.
Jack,
The way I see it, we need to test all drivers randomly every year. Have drivers report to their nearest DHSMV or tag office when summoned and drive on the course under the watchful eye of the instructor as they would on the roads. After that, give them a written test. Finally a one-on-one with the instructor. Then the instructor will determine if that driver is safe. If it turns out the person is absolutely incapable of good driving, the instructor will give the driver a lifetime bus pass or MetroCard.
Steven V.
Pensacola, FL
Replace cars with a form of transportation that not only doesn't pollute; but also makes accidents a thing of the past. And maybe give the person who thinks up of this form of transportation something that is highly sought after in this country....A JOB.
Lucy
SF, CA
Make punishments for disobeying the laws harsher.
Interesting question, Jack. One, make it illegal to use a cell phone while driving unless it is a handsfree model. Two, double the cost of insurance of anyone caught disobeying that law. Three, reward drivers who go for long periods of time without tickets or accidents. Some insurance companies already do this, and it works. Four, and the most contraversial, make drivers retake the driving test every 10 years to get their license renewed. We already have to have our vision checked for a renewal, why not take that test again?
Do away with car insurance. We can all drive clunkers and if the driver in front of you makes you angry you can go at it like you were in a demolition derby. It might help to wait until they pass a health plan first.
Raise the price of gasoline to a point where people can not afford to drive. If people used more public transportation the traffic jams would go away. Road rage would be a thing of the past and bad drivers could look out the window of the bus, train or street car and smile and wave when they pass there old insurance agents building with a wad of money in their pocket that they didn't have to send them every 6 months.
More trains?
What’s the best way to put the brakes on bad driving?
Force these drivers to go to a behind the wheel driving school.
Jenna
Roseville CA
Jack: 1. Get the police out of Duncan Donuts. 2. Make it illegal to use cell phones of any type while driving. 3. Raise the age to 16 for a learners permit, and 17 for a drivers license. 4. Have mandatory classes for people after they get 3 speeding tickets with in 5 years. 5. At age 70, we need to give driving test over again to seniors with classes if they fail the test more than 3 times. 6. This nation needs better mass transit to take traffic volume off the roads.
Make the punsihment fit the crime. Running a red light, 60 days in jail and no driving for 2 years. Second offense, never be able to buy another car, forever and 6 months in jail with no work release. Text messaging, first offense 2 years in jail and no driving for 3 years, if there is an accident involved, 10 years in jail, no parole and never be able to drive again. That would be a start.
How about a sensor that warns a driver who is following too closely? I have friends and family who do this and it drives me crazy. Maybe an annoying chime or voice in the car would do the trick.
People like to drive "badly" if you are talking about going to fast and passing other cars, tailgating, or driving too slow when the flow of traffic is faster than the speed limit. The only way around that is central computer control of traffic, which will also stop those pesky drunk drivers from killing themselves and others. This could be combined with electric power transmission, either through the roadway or overhead lines concealed in a roof deck covered in grass.
stop using cell phones and texting....ban cell phones while driving totally....of course, again lobby...lobby...lobby...like health care reform...but we need to do it...
Recognize the problem, inform the families and/or law enforcement. Your silence may lead to the injuries and perhaps even dealths of others.
Jack
Ban cell phones and let the law enforcement agencies become more aggressive in ticketing speeders and spot checking for drugs and alcohol, along with licence and registrations.
Nothing makes drivers behave better than a state trooper going the speed limit in your direction of travel, so more police cars on the roads would help. Also, severe penalties for texting or using a phone while driving.
I live in South Florida which has to be one of the most frustrating places in the United States to drive. We may not have L.A. traffic or New York Taxi drivers but , God Bless 'em, we have the old people. I will never understand the opposition over elderly people being forced to re-take a driving test.
Getting a driver's license is little more than rite of passage in the US. It should be made hard and a private affair (cost considerable money). Then it will be appreciated. Above all the legal driving age should be raised to 18 when people are responsible adults.
Increase public transportation. Build train systems to connect communities to urban centers, more buses, more bike paths and trails to increase walkability it communities nationwide. The only way to put the brakes on bad driving is to reduce driving and get people out of their cars and onto buses, trains and bike paths.
I know many will not like this but yearly driving tests for seniors would be a start. I know of to many seniors that still drive and are legally blind and should not be aloud to drive. Not to narrow it to just seniors either but also drivers that have been given driving tickets several times for the same thing or just to many. So a yearly driving test for seniors and bad drivers.
Regularly ticket the offenders – passing on the right, speeding, driving far too slow in the fast lane, tailgating, aggressive driving, talking on the cell phone, too sleepy or too drunk. My daily commute is fraught with dangers.
A comedian has suggested using stickey dart guns – if people drive crazy you shoot their bumper, different colored darts for different infractions – cops could simply be on the lookout for lots of darts and investigate based upon peer "reports".
Jack: As someone who has a family member recovering from a head-on, we need to revoke the licenses of drivers who have had two misdemeanor traffic offenses includindg DUI. The states need to adopt some of the strict laws that NY has enforced: only hands-free phone use for drivers and a heavy fine for text messaging. These days when the states are looking for revenue it would probably create a surplus if these laws were enacted.
What we NEED to do is put the brakes on this issue. We have wars, a crappy economy, and a healthcare argument that can explode any moment going on at the same time...
Bad driving habits are just getting worse. Vehicles, fuel, drivers, and traffic have no good brakes. We created the monster and now we have to live with it.
John
Pampa,TX
Driving requires full attention be paid by the driver. Phone chatting, texting, reading, eating doughnuts and disciplining children while moving at sixty miles an hour in traffic is the ultimate stupidity. However legislation outlawing stupidity is not possible, especially when lawmakers themselves perpetually prove themselves afflicted. So the only thing left is defensive driving.
Jack I get so sick of hearing about the danger of using cell phones while driving. It would be so easy to design a car that would block the use of a phone by the driver while the car is is in anything but park! We have the technology too do this, the only reason it's not being done is because the lobbyist would be in a uproar about how this would cut into the profits of the phone companys. Money is more important than lives, haven't ya heard
Dave from NH.
By doing what they do in Europe – put some real teeth into law enforcement like a point system that drives up your insurance rates for each traffic offense. Accumulate enough points and your license is pulled for up to three years and then....another one rides the bus............
I'm not sure what could stop bad driving.All the training all the stiff penalties everything you could think of there will still be idiots on the road putting on make-up,texting,rubber necking,and even eating.Some even pay attention to the road and still aren't able to maintain lanes or even brake on time.It isnt only teens and elderly its EVERYONE,if you aren't a good driver get off the road PLEASE!!!!!!!!
You start taking away licenses. It's a win /win situation – less drivers, less cars on the road, safer highways and less greenhouse gas emissions.
I work in bad driving results. In 10 years, bad driving habits have gone up 100% I believe. My experience is the racing is usually military. Running red lights is blonds in red cars texting, or talking on phones, or putting on lipstick. There is a lot of cars speeding running into people driving in accordance with the law. I wish I knew the answer. But if we found an answer, the ACLU would pile on and nothing would happen. Our driving reminds me of driving in most foreign countries. JUST PUT THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND GO.
Speed cameras and license revocation.
Everyone should take a refresher course every so many years.
Ignore the mobile phone.
One of the first ways is to get illegal immigrants who can"t read English , in order to understand the rules of the road,etc. Off our roads . It would also keep our insurance premiums from rising when we get hit by an illegal immigrant who doesn"t have a severs license, much less insurance. Then we can talk about what we can do about legal citizens driving habits..... Foley Alabama
I am a bad driver under your definitions. I speed, drive aggressively, and ride like I stole it all over the place. I am not sure I can drive a motorcycle any other way. If you ask me for a definition of a bad driver , he or she uses a cell phone while driving.
Good luck on that one. Ever drive in southern California?? Pull their license, but they will just drive without one, like the drunks.
There should be national laws against cell phone use (talking and texting) and tickets given when people don't use turning signals when turning and switching lanes.
If you talk to any police district in the country you will hear that most accidents are caused by reckless drivers that don't use the proper signals or distracted by their cell phones.
Make them all drive a Hot pink smart car.
Well Jack, I have to tell you it goes back to the idiocy of the American driver .........it isnt Alchohol or Speed Limits that are the problem , in Germany on the Autoban not nearly as many wrecks, collisions, or screw ups. Fix the Un Courteous , get there "right now" , its all about me attitude..................and you'll solve the problem.
Make driving tests more difficult. A driving test on a closed course where you can't go above 10mph doesn't measure your competency as a driver. Let's face it: you're not going to get an idea of someone's level of aggression in that kind of low-stress situation. Laws that penalize people who already have licenses will help, but not eliminate the problem since they're allowed back on the road right after they receive the ticket. States need to prevent people who are reckless, aggressive, or downright lousy at driving before they're ever allowed on the road by themselves.
Outlaw cell phone use while driving.
Brownwood, Texas
In my experience bad drivers are usually teens, elderly poeple who should be retested or people from other countrys used to driving on dirt roads without any ettiquette.
I don't know but when someone figures it out could you please come to South Carolina?
I agree with the idea I would love to feel safe driving the freeways around here... but speeding doesnt always mean a bad driver.. my roomate is an excessive speeder in his suped up tahoe. he has more speeding tickets then mario andretti but he is also one of the safest smartest and considerate drivers i know. there are tons of idiots out there putting slowly and obeying the posted driving laws yet they are reading a newspaper or putting make up on or talking on there cell phone. hell there are people tweeting on there cells while cruising the highways... those are the idiots that should get there licences revoked. ot at least get punished for it..
The best way to stop bad driving is too have automatic license suspensions and to highly publicize this fact so everyone knows what they are risking by blatantly ignoring the law.
Ban cell phones in cars! Cell phones account for 25% of crashes, reduce brain activity by 37%, and slows down reaction time equal to that of a person with a .08% alcohol level which is considered impaired for driving in most if not all states. Cell phones are also listed as the no.1 source of inattention by drivers. If police can use technology to catch speeders, can't they use it to detect an electromagnetic field eminating from your cell phone while your driving? I hope they do! Please turn them off while your driving because someone will die tomorrow by a distracted driver talking on thier cell phone and you could easily be that driver!
One – three strikes and you're out. Once your license is suspended for the third time, you lose it for good, No appeals.
Two – statewide (yes, statewide) bans on cell phone usage in automobiles by drivers. Any offense or accident caused while a driver was texting should be treated as if the driver was impaired- i.e., drunk.
Three – get rid of the stupid HOV lanes. They are a failed attempt to alter social behavior with government policies. Open them up to relieve congestion and reduce the risk of accidents at peak rush hours.
Jack: You know Jack, you can take the boy out of the country-–but in most instances you can't take the country out of the boy-–so just take away their cars.
It's simple–don't give idiots licenses in the first place. You can't get a pilot's license unless you're intelligent and capable of flying, and the likelihood of killing someone while flying is very remote. Killing someone by driving a car is very probable in this country (40,000+ per year), yet we hand out licenses to anyone capable of a pulse. Improve public transit so it actually works, and require people to have the ability to drive before they get a license.
Growing up in Wisconsin, they had a point system. Too many points for moving violations and you lose your license. I think implementing a point system, along with the higher fines for egregious violations as stated in your blog will help get these killers off of the road. People need to remember, Jack, that driving is a privilege, not a right.
It's all about disrespect. There is a community of people that disrespect everything. The same crowd that disrespects families, neighbors, commnities, schools, police and everyone else.
Get the police to enforce all the laws..ALL OF THEM...and then let the police do their job..
I manhattan you "j" walk you get ticket from a cop, hit by a cab, then smaked by the cabbie.... In Philly you "j" walk, you get to flip off the driver that almost hits you, pro-bono civil rights attorney to sue driver who swore at you and a police cheif that will fire any cop that profiles.???
Jack, I'm in favor of a public spanking... Or, something they should have received back when they were 15. These drivers all know how to drive properly... They all learned the same rules.
Today's drivers are reflecting today's attitude... "You can't tell ME how to drive." You can see this just by watching these young parents speeding, cell-phoning, and with their own children NOT buckled in. Not only are they risking the lives of their own children, at best they are teaching THEM how to drive when it comes THEIR turn...
It's all attitude, Jack.... This is the 21st Century.
Interesting question, Jack. One, make it illegal to use a cell phone while driving unless it is a handsfree model. Two, double the cost of insurance of anyone caught disobeying that law. Three, reward drivers who go for long periods of time without tickets or accidents. Some insurance companies already do this, and it works. Four, and the most contraversial, make drivers retake the driving test every 10 years to get their license renewed. We already have to have our vision checked for a renewal, why not take that test again?
As for superspeeders, etc., how about going all out? Instead of just increasting the dent in their wallet, how about mandatory community service in an ER or a morgue? You won't get through to them with anything less.
Big Brother.
If they person gets caught impound their vehicle. $500 first offense to get their vehicle returned, double it for the 2nd offense and impound the car for a month plus fines for 3rd offenses. Hit'em where it hurts, the pocketbook.
Lets try a week of "no enforcement"........the sane people can stay off the road for the week while all the crazies run around at breakneck speeds and kill themselves off. At the end of the week, it will be safe for all the rest of us to return to the roadways.
I feel cynical today...Send people to a psychologist to resolve their internal issues to put the vrakes on their rage!
Simple, fine them high. For instance if caught driving 65 in a 45 mph zone, just fine them $100 per extra mile= $2000 fine. Increase the points on the license and increase license suspension time. After having to walk for a year they will be thrilled to be able to drive safely at 45 or 50 mph.
I feel cynical today…Send people to a psychologist to resolve their internal issues to put the brakes on their rage!
Law enforcement could put the brakes on bad driving the same way any other bad behavior can be stopped- by consistently enforcing the laws with progressively harsher penalties. The operative word here is "consistently". Allowing drivers to get away with bad habits onl;y encourages them.
Well, if you could infuse drivers with common sense, decent manners and require them to stay off the damn cell phone it might make a difference. And Jack, this includes the police force (notice I didn't say "peace officers") – they are some of the worst traffic offenders and it's because they can.
The best way depends on the issue you feel is most problematic, however hitting people in the pocketbook is often generally effective and has the bonus of generating revenue. However, laws and fines are only effective if they are vigorously enforced. If there is no concerted effort to crack down, people will continue to take chances.
A general attitde change is required to deal with the percentage of bad drivers. This will be dificult since driving is such a personal thing. The hammer needs to come down on those offenders that think the road is just theirs. If they don't respond, let them walk.
If some of the speed limits were raised 5 miles, there would be less people running red lights and weaving in and out of traffic to get where they're going. Also, the timing of the lights need to be adjusted for the flow of traffic. Certain east/west streets get a shorter green light cycle than the north/south streets do, and that is very frustrating to drivers when they hit all the red lights,no matter how fast or slow they are going.Stupid drivers should take responsibility for their own driving habits, but the traffic engineers need to also take the blame for traffic headaches!
It's all about being responsible citizens and what is acceptable in our society. We follow the social norm. If people follow the motto "Do onto others as you wish they would do onto you" it just shows we have very little self-worth.
On the forth traffic ticket suspend there drivers license and make them get an SR22 to get a temporary license until there suspension is up.
What’s the best way to put the brakes on bad driving?
Make bad driving a felony within itself w mandatory imprisonment minimum 5 years? is that what the news media is clamoring to do?...what about the voluminous MV statutes that already exist from coast to coast...don't they count?...reckless driving, careless driving, DWI, DUI, Driving while impaired, tailgatiing, speeding, speeding in increments of 10mph, speeding in construction zones, failure to yield, failure to stop, failure to use turn signal, failure to observe school bus, failure to drive on right, failure to keep right at intersection, failure to pass on right, driving over divided space or barrier, racing on highway 1st offense and subsequent offenses, disobeying traffic signal etc...these are only a few that might dissuade bad drivers from driving badly but there are many others...what about this question: how many more laws and statutes do we need to hamstring and control the American motorist more than he/she is presently?...
It's not about bad drivers, it's about revenue. If it were about speeders we wouldn't have our automakers putting six litre engines in our new Camaros, Challengers, Corvettes and Mustangs. If everybody slowed down they would need new laws and fines to collect money from.
Jack
In Florida we need long distance bullet trains and more effective clean energy mass transit to reduce the congestion on our roads. Writing tickets treats the illness and not the source.
Take the bad drivers' licenses away for 6 months, or a year. That would slow them down. Need to drive to work? Sorry, tough luck. Take a bus.
Great question Jack;
The simple answer is to let the bad drivers, especially the SUV soccer moms, continue using their cell phones.
Very soon; the results of this bad behavior will be obvious to the "bad driving" public. Obama will be able to end the "cash for clunkers" program, and we can finally get off our adiction to "foreign oil!".
The pocket book to be sure. When bad driving costs big money, bad drivers will get the message in a hurry. Fines for bad driving should be tripled. Right now in Phoenix, Arizona running a red light costs $180 bucks. And that's done little to slow the trend. I'll bet if it cost $540 that would get driver attention. And, the same with all other bad driving tickets.
Hit 'em financially and that'll correct the problem. "Good afternoon. May I see your driver's license, registration and proof of insurance please".
Gary H. Boyd, Scottsdale, Arizona
catch them and fine them.
Well, I agree with Florida and Georgia, that heavy enforcement is the key. Many state and local governments will opt for saving the expense of enforcement and accept the consequence so long as it is somebody else's life. We have all witnessed the aggressive lane changer and speeder who once made aware of the presence of law enforcement , they too suddenlly become reasonable drivers just like all the others toward which they were acting so hostile and aggressive. Along with speed limits enforcement, the necessity and courtesy of yeilding to other dirvers is what makes the roadways safe. This is essentially the issue of lane changing and it must also be aggressively enforced by state and local police. And, today, it's all on camera.
Jack,
This one is TOO easy!
Electronic surveillance and automatic ticketing with reports to the insurance companies.
If the driver's licenses had a readable chip the drivers identity would be confirmed. Drivers license could be in a reader for assured ID. The bad drivers would eliminate themselves, if we decided we can no longer tolerate a transportation system that kills 44,000 people a year. Half of whom were totally innocent.
Great revenue for starved governments. Far less costly than a trooper and patrol unit.
Lets "git 'er done!"
Fine people for being bad drivers instead of fining for an arbitrary thing like speed. Fines for not using your turn signal. For not looking when merging. For slamming on your brakes with 100 yards of open road in front of you. For driving 10 mph slower than everyone else while in the left lane. For realizing halfway through an intersection that you need to make a left turn and cutting across three lanes of traffic to do it. As long as you can operate a vehicle like a sane person, you can speed safely. It's idiots who don't understand basic fundamentals that cause more accidents.
I wish there were a way to use the Swedish solution here in the states. DUI-license revoked for life, speeding-2 nd offense, license revoked for 5 years, etc. These 100mph drivers must have enough money, that a couple of hundred dollars doesn't mean squat. Let's put them on foot for a year or 2 and maybe they will get the word.
Three words, Jack. CON! FIS! CATION!
When the driver is arrested confiscate their car as well as their driving license for 30 days. Second offense? SIX MONTHS! Third time? Suspend the license permanently. Take the car and sell it and donate the money to the police benevolent fund. Let the SOBs ride shanks mare!
Pablo
Arlington Texas
Better sign posts, would make a big difference. Ever been in the wrong lane, and the sign point the other way? Drivers are impatient..
place cameras all over and send them tickets and then if they continue impound there cars win win situation
The excuse for them is bad driving......the truth is they want to simpley increase state revenues!
The best way to put the brakes on bad driving is to make a requirement . the smith system aim high in steering, get the big picture, keep your eyes moving, make sure that you are seen,
and leave yourself an out. these 5 steps are what they teach
in professional driving for commercial license.
Kevin CA
South Jersey
States must implement a more stringent testing procedure, with both the writing and driving portions. But, what it comes down to is that you cant fix stupid.
The best way to "put the breaks" on bad drivers would be to simply suspend their licenses. This in addition to a substantial fine would certainly straighten me out.
Most people only drive properly when they see a police car. I would propose that all cars would be required to look like they were police cars. A further step might be to require all drivers to dress like policemen/women including those nifty hats they wear. To help fool the public, real policemen would be required to have small children in the back of their cars.
They could hire people to ride around and follow people who drive terribly. Then, pull them over, tell them to "get out", take their keys and hand them bus fare! People either drive too fast, too slow or are busy doing a variety of tasks that should be done at home. ie: make-up, eating, texting, reading the newspaper, I have seen it all and it ain't pretty!
I like this idea,maybe less people will waste a gallon of gas to beat me to the next stop sign.
Start by going through the records of past driving infractions and get the repeat offenders off the roads. Here in Charlotte we recently had the death of a mother and her children when a repeat offender from SC killed them in a street race. Turns out the killer had numerous traffic violations, but neve had her license to drive revoked.
Jack, easy camera then tickets. One ticket in the mail for a few hundred dollars will make a believer out of you. It did me.
Let's See Jack; Is the Answer Jimmy Carter Oriented, Slow Down,55mph by Raising the Price of a Gallon if GAS!
A Tax on Gas or Diesel, Except Lower Tax for Truckers + Such. That Tax would Go to Better Roads + Health Care + National Debt.
The Cost of Gasoline With the Tax would Have a Ceiling Price.
Thios Would Be a Motivator for More Efficient Cars, Better Roads, Health Care + the National Debt!
Jack,
As an "aggressive" driver myself, I would like to see drivers stay in the right lane unless passing. This should be taught in driver's training as Standard Operating Procedure. It would reduce road rage by a large amount by letting those like me get past the slow-pokes. It would also let law enforcement catch speeders more easily by giving them a clear lane for radar and laser clocking.
Jack,
The ideas you cite all sound pretty good. I didn't see anything about texting or talking on the phone though. These activities by idiotic drivers definitely need to be banned. Also, the proposed penalties seem pretty light. $200? Driver's Ed course? How about if you're at fault in an accident due to grossly excessive speed or reckless driving, you lose your license for a year? The point should be to get chronic bad drivers off the road long term, not just keep slapping their hand.
Jim
Reno, Nevada
Jack; "Good Sense is Dollars + Cents!"
The drivers out there are so discourteous that they would make an 80 year old lady pull a shot gun out of her trunk. Then again there are alot of good drivers out there who go unrewarded because they are overwhelminly overshadowed by the crazies.
In short, law enforcement has to go after the habitual road maniac and fine him until he can't afford gas anymore.
Being a motorcyclist I have to be able to notice the warning signs of a distracted driver. I stay away from the dreaded cell phone driver who wanders aimlessly from lane to lane with eratic changes in speed. Slow is a normal conversation, fast is they are arguing.
Oh yeah Jack, I'm texting this message to you while riding my Harley. LOL
Jack attack the pocket book of those, that just want to do things their way. Jack I have been to over 15 different country, most people here in the United States don't have an idea have fortunely they are they complain and complain. We have military personnels dying for our freedom, and most of us don't even appreciate it. Just my opnion
David
Martinsburg, WV
As a professional, Class A Commercial Driver, moving hazardous material safely in the New York, New Jersey, metro area in an 80,000 lbs tractor trailer unit for the last 20+ years, I feel well qualified to render an opinion here. Put The Cell Phone Down! Especially a driver who is texting, they drive worse than a caller, or a drunken driver, I’ve seen all three in action. I know there are already laws on the books, but laws are half the battle, enforcement is the other vital half on this hazardous driving issue. If an officer is called to the scene of an accident, it should be Automatic to investigate whether or not a cell phone was in use at the time. When an officer pulls someone over for any ticket, cell phone companies should be required to disclose whether or not a cell phone was in use at the time by the driver! Odds are from my unofficial observation they are; it is in my professional opinion the chief cause of bad driving almost exclusively!
Make BAD driving expensive. BAD as in doing things that almost caused an accident, not break someone's bank because they forgot to fasten their seatbelt- a normal ticket is the most that deserves. BAD as in they placed someone else's life in hazard, even if no harm actually arose. And it HAS to be witnessed by an officer, no hearsay stuff shall be admitted.
Oh- and make drunk Driving VERY serious, even for first offense drunks. Stick them in the lockup first time for a year. NO PAROLE.
Bring down the speed limits. Better for accidents, even if they still happen, and takes less gas! It's probably better for our blood pressure too.
I live in a college town where 26,000 kids are barreling down the roads at breakneck speed with no earthly idea where they're going but convinced they're running late, while at the same time texting and tweeting and whatever the Hell else they do...God only knows. An equal number who got licensed when they could still see, hear and remember where they lived are moseying along at 20 mph in the left lane, hopefully not in the wrong direction. On game days, we get an additional 100,000 or so who are driving only because they're too drunk to walk. Meanwhile, the city in its infinite wisdom has half of the streets dug up for some inane reason or another. It's a real adventure, Jack. The best solution I've found is to pray the Rosary and hope for the best. The next best idea is to fine the crap out of them, have them re-examined periodically, and if all else fails let them spend a few days in one of our pepto-pink jail cells but I doubt even that would teach them much because the idiots believe they have an inalienable right to keep doing what they call "driving" and to Hell with everyone else. Be careful out there.
Susan
Tuscaloosa AL
First thing – remind people that driving is a privilege, not a right. From there, institute mandatory comprehensive drivers' education that includes written and behind the wheel examinations that require at least 90 percent correct to pass. And because it is a privilege, fees should cover all expenses. In the UK, the written test is about $51, and the practical is $102. If people do not like it, there is always public transportation, which is good for the environment.
If your talking serious accidents the answer is usually speed. Little fender benders are going to happen Jack and the government can make a ton of money taxing you and the insurance companies that make serious profits from upping your coverage.
The answer to the dangerous stuff has always been obviously speed. It is possible to rig an engine so it won't go any faster than a set speed say of 60 miles/hr. If the speed limits are 55 miles/hr what are you giving up? Again the government makes a ton of money on the fines as thousands doctor the cars to break that law. The supply of Gas would go through the roof and the price of oil would plummet. Imagine the costs of fuel being cut in half and the ripple effect into other industries because everything is delivered by truck.
BTW for your GOP watchers...those limiters would not be applied to ambulances, fire trucks or police vehicles.
If only the worst drivers would drive with my dear Mother-in-law once, they would either slow down or give up driving all together.
Or maybe they would just run off the road.
Huge fines, redo driver's ed and mandatory road tests and if you still get too many tickets or cause accidents, the take your car and insurance away. If that doesn't get a bad driver's attention send them to Siberia.
Jack, I have a couple of solutions. All states should make the legal driving age 18, since we have so many eager, irresponsible teens aggressively taking over the roads. Second, make talking on cell phones and texting illegal in all 50 states. So many accidents are caused by the distraction of a phone, it's absurd. School is back in session this week, and already we've had an accident hold up traffic everyday. Yup, you guessed it, a college teen was behind the wheel.
We need to finally stop driving and making those fast gas guzzlers.
after 3 times with in three years if your found at fault you should be heavily fined and have your drivers licence taken away,then train these leadfoot's a driving simalation game 1st and if they've improved and and have repassed the driver’s ed course and a road test,then and only then should they be allowed back on the road.
Jack, Have you been on the road lately, talk about scary, people are talking on the phone and texting about what's for dinner, or what to pick up at Wal-Mart, while driving in the wrong lane. It must be stopped . Creative billboards need to be put up reminding people to watch what they are doing , pay attention, Etc. It is simply not safe on our roads because of this . Make it illegal now.
Debra fro CT,
We need some tough love. The second time you are caught driving stupidly you have your liscense pulled for 6 months and you need to take dirvers ed and all the tests again.
The third time you do jail time.
The FIRST time you cause injury or death you get fined and jail time.
Is there a reason that speed governors are not put on private automobiles? I know that many trucking companies put speed governors on their truck to avoid speeding tickets.
The states should get the fines, but higher insurance rates is the gift that keeps on giving. It's the insurance companies that have the most risk and responsibility in these cases, they should get compensated. Maybe then the rates for good drivers can go down.
Maggie in Evansville Indiana
Keep the slow drivers out of the left lane & my rage factor will be cut in half.
Anyone with a lawyer automatically gets the ticket reduced. They are in bed with the court. Get rid of this arrangement. How does a speeding ticket end up becoming a failure to use a turn signal? Why does a card from your pal the cop act as a get out of jail free card?
We need a stronger police presence, increased fines, and no institutionalized leniency from the police, court, and lawyers.
Marketing campaign – "Just Leave 5 Minutes Early"
Start ticketing the cops.
Stop chatting on your cell phone while driving! Stop eating while driving! Stop messing with radio while driving! STOP! STOP! STOP! And if your watching Jack's really cool blog while driving- STOP! Have a great day Jack!!!
There are so many reasons for bad drivers it's difficult to arrive at a single or multiple solutions to the problem. I say more camera and radar enforcement.
Having someone have to go back to traffic school if they caused 3 crashes in 3 years is insane! I think there needs to be a 3 strikes you're out law and the licenses taken away forever.
Some people seem to think speeding tickets are a badge of honor, and laugh about them with their friends. Perhaps large signs similar to the "student driver" warnings should be affixed to the the vehicles of the more egregious offenders so the rest of us can get in on the joke.
My husband would tell you to let me ride with them for a few miles just once. He does his best to not do anything that will get me started on hugging the center lane, going too fast through construction, going 2 miles over the speed limit, going through a light on yellow, and on and on. I expect all drivers to drive like their life depends on it and should hear about if they don't obey all safety rules.
Since it's illegal to speed, why not put governors in cars so they could not exceed 65 mph. It would all but eliminate speeding on highways, save countless lives, and probably make gas guzzling sports cars a thing of the past which will cause men having a mid-life crisis have to find another way to relive thier youth.
Obviously patrol cars are not working. I'm for using video. Anyone caught on tape gets a ticket. Driving is a privilege, not a right.
Eliminate 75% of the population!
Make everyone take public transit.
take the bus
You think fast drivers are the dangerous ones? Oh no! When I'm going 75 in a 65, I'm not bothering the other drivers. You know what causes everyone to slam on breaks & swerve? SLOW DRIVERS! That's why I-95 has a minimum speed limit – because the gov't KNOWS that slow grandmas & grandpas are the real problem!
Is execution too drastic? Afterall we are acountry that loves the death penalty.......
Easy- Ban cell phone usage. I was once ran out of my lane by a police officer in a squad car talking on his cell phone.
I would say they should ban cell phone use by drivers.
Order the vehicle impounded and sold at public auction. Deliver to the convicted person, one new Moped with a Restrictor plate to cut maximum speed by 50% with the understanding that any violation, including the removal or alterations to the restrictor plate will result in being taken out back having Joe The Plumber “Beat The Living Tar Out Of You“.
The best and only way to deal with bad drivers is in the pocket. First ticket should be at least $200.00. Anthing less is like a broken bone = it hurts for a little but then it is forgotten.
Same as the best way to put brakes on anything else: money.
Just fine them to oblivion!
Jack, with the state of the national dialogue the way that it's been, this would be misconstrued as a government takeover of American roadways, and somehow Obama will ultimately be called a "Socialist".
This is not original, but here it is. Have all drivers listen to the Grateful Dead channel on Sirius/XM, and road rage will be a thing of the past. What's wrong with driving slow?
Best way to put the brakes on bad driving? Put them in small cars so they feel a little less safe, and so when they do cause a crash they're less likely to hurt people.
Bad drivers are a direct reflection of our society.
Plus, $10.00 and a pulse in most states will get you rolling down the road. It's all to keep the economic machine grinding away, since for every step you would make a REAL drivers test harder, then you weed-out the people who should have never been given a license.
Golf cart accelerators sounds good to me. Lets make it so cars can go 55 miles and hour. Make it where if you go over the speed then your car shuts off for 2 hours before restarting. That will make you think twice about speeding and aggresive driving.
Jack,
That's nothing! In Toronto, Ontario, the fine for speeding over 150 kilometers/hour (approx. 95 miles/hr) is a fine of $10,000.00, your license revoked and car impounded on the spot. It's advertised on sign along the highways, and seems to be working.
Speeding does not equal Bad Driving. Folks that drive like its their first week behind the wheels equals Bad Driving. We drive everyday and it is amazing how lousy some people are at it.
Cheers,
HCS
Hang up the cell phone for starters. Next, crack-down on the left lane hogs. Finally, stop the speeders. I have an idea–legalize pot and solve all the problems at once. Anyone that gets stoned knows that you drive slow–probably looking for the next taco stand–stay in the right lane–too paranoid to drive anywhere else–and do need a cell phone to be entertained. Oh well. If I were only in charge for a few hours.
Billy De Kidd
Plano, TX
Jack, I really believe the state of Kansas has the best idea... I think you live in NY, so you can probably verify that too many drivers are driving in the middle and left lanes, where the only lane open is the right lane, until we come upon the slow car. Frequently, drivers like to block traffic from moving properly. The last thing in the world I want ... is to be driving on Interstate 80 in NJ, only to be blocked by some driver going less than 55 mph in the passing lane.
As crazy as this sounds ... I think people drive blocking moving traffic, because they want power and control. How many times have you been in the middle lane, only to have a car in the far left lane cross very closely in front of you to get off the exit?
The law for the state of Kansas should be enforced in ALL States.
Sincerely, Joe, Binghamton, NY
Education, education, education. Stricter testing at state DMV would also weed out bad drivers. I am in the Washington DC area. As Wolf or anyone at the DC bureau. We have some of the most oblivious and arrogant drivers in the country. One might think they learn to merge by watching NASCAR. Perhaps a DOT campaign of public service announcements on TV and radio might start to educate people about safer and more cooperative driving techniques.
1. Drunk drivers. When convicted confiscate the auto as part of the fine, or imprisonment alons with recoking drivers license. Notice to insurance companies of the lack of drivers license
2. Speeding drivers. Do what Germans do on the autobahn. Massive fines for high speed. Even higher fines for tailgating. After two convictions, third conviction should result in confiscation of auto and revoking drivers licence. Notification to insurance companies re: revocation of drivers license.
Just a beginning but harsher treatment to miscreants is required.
Jack, how about this? Put the convicted road rage drivers in a ford pinto and let them go on the freeway .
After driving ' aggrssively" for the past 40 yr's ... never an accident and never caused one ... I have at least 20 speeding tickets and i still drive was the conditions permit .... the worse causes of accidents outside of drunks are 1) left lane drivers 2) cell phones .... rule one ...always if someone wants to pass me I let them ... I leave policing to the highway patrol and I drive so I don't cause an accident or have one.
Suspend there license indefinitely!
Jack,
This could be impossible, save going back to motorcycle speed traps, which we haven't seen in decades. Appealing to common sense, courtesy, or the sense of self preservation is unlikely to move many of the idiots we've got on the road, many of whom seem not to value their own lives more than those of anyone else.
Best way to put the brakes on bad driving is to the get the slow people out of the way. Also inform people that sight seeing on the highway and habitual braking are not good habits. Driving with speed and purpose does not always equal bad driving! Driving slowly can be just as much of a hazard!
Derrell
Raleigh, NC
Jack, while I agree "super speeders" and others are trouble on the road. SO ARE.. THOSE (especially little blue haired ladies) that impede traffic. Many of which could very much use a drivers road test at some point. I love my neighbor; like a grandfather to me, I'm 50, he's 90... many times, he'll pull out of the driveway without looking and it's only been because of others watching him that there hasn't been an accident. He's much worse on the road. I've even talked to his family about it. Speeders, and those that impede traffic should be the focus of local/state police.
take their license like they speed to take peoples life.
Hang up the cell phone for starters. Next, crack-down on the left lane hogs. Finally, stop the speeders. I have an idea–legalize pot and solve all the problems at once. Anyone that gets stoned knows that you drive slow–probably looking for the next taco stand–stay in the right lane–too paranoid to drive anywhere else–and don't need a cell phone to be entertained. Oh well. If I were only in charge for a few hours.
Billy De Kidd
Plano, TX
Corrected post...
Best way to put the breaks on bad driving is to look at our society. I've always believed one drives the way one lives. There is a lot of anger out there due to our system Start there and eventually you'll find the "whys" and then the answers to fix bad driving.
Build more high speed electric trains, then we can clean up the environment! But if you start ticketing driver near the commercials zone people will not shop there, when the cops did that near our mall people stop going there and much needed the tax revenue went down. Their is a major cost to over ticketing people, businesses will fail if they have no patrons! Now they leave the people alone and put in more stop signs and stop lights, if people don't have to drive too far in between each sign, and light, they have less opportunity of driving badly!
Hold ilegal aliens accountable. Require a mandatory fine and jail time followed by deoprtation for illegals without driver license, insurance and or driving under the influence. In this area the police can not even hold sobriety checkpoints because illegals say it discriminates against them. You can let them game the system for food stamps, wic cards, medicaid and free education for their kids but we can not let them continue to kill people in cars and walk away.
You know every one complains about speeders. However what about the people who drive slow in the left lane, while talking on their cellphones? Perhaps some people wouldn't have to be driving like a maniac if others would just stick to driving to the right lane and move out of the way. It becomes so frustrating to be stuck behind some one driving slow in the passing lane that it sometimes drives a person to make drastic maneuvers to get around them. Kentucky has it right, give out tickets to people loitering in the passing lane! You might see people driving less aggressively then.
...bring them up before the death panels.
I'm a Bridgewater, New Jersey resident, and I have thirty years' experience driving in free-for-all of thick commuter and truck traffic. As far as I can see, controlling bad drivers is a matter of bothering to enforce the existing laws, not creating new ones. Every day I see vicious tailgating, right turns on red into traffic without so much as slowing down, and a thousand other examples of aggressive driving...and the local and state police don't seem to stop anyone but the most egregious offenders. My town could solve its budget problems by posting a cop at the traffic light a quarter of a mile north of my home all day and ticketing everyone who runs the red light.
I believe that first offenders deserve a second chance so reasonable fines are in order. Anyone can mis-judge a red light and be caught in an intersection. However, repeat offenders, deliberate red light runners, and aggressive drivers should pay such hefty fines that it hurts the wallet. For instance a judge should tell a habitual aggressive driver $500.00 fine or 5 days in jail. That will slow them down.
Remove the back seat driver.
The best way to put a break on bad driving would be finning people, and depending on the infraction. If it's very common, an expensive fine, and a lesser fine for the ones that are not so common. That way the state would earn money and there wouldn't be so many infractions, since people don't really like to pay money, specially in these hard times.
American drivers are the best in the world!
Every summer for the past ten years my wife and I have driven thousands of miles around the U.S. We're from Denmark and let me tell you:
American drivers are the most polite and considerate in the world, especially compared to European drivers.
Nowhere do we feel as safe and secure in a car as in the U.S.
We live with technology today that can easily supplement our police forces simply by ratting out our fellow man! A simple statewide 800 no. to advise of illegal, aggressive or bad driving might supplement other criterion selected by the states! These calls will easily be anonymous, and could be used to build cases against the extreme violators. Perhaps if one license no. receives xx amount of calls, law enforcement can use this to again supplement their case against certain violators.
Take away their driving privileges. When I moved to Atlanta from Chicago I had to learn how to drive all over again. Super speeders is an understatement. Getting out on the roadways here is an experience. It's exhilarating insanity. $200 isn't enough.
More education and or fines need to be implemented to address the dangers of tailgating.
Drunk drivers and aggressive speeders shouldn't get a chance after chance to risk OUR lives on the highways. After the second conviction they chould have their cars confiscated. Driving a friend's car? That should be confiscated as well. Drive safely, and don't give your car to unsafe drivers. The sale of these cars can help bail out our States.
Bad driving doesn't always mean fast driving. Bad driving is uncareful driving. Many people drive very slow, don't pay attention to the road, eat and drink behind the wheel instead of staying focused. I've lived in Germany and know how seriously people take driving on autoban. And although there are no speed restrictions, Germany's crash rate is not higher than that of US if not lower. Speed should not be the main issue – caution and concentration behind the wheel should.
Its simple, force all drivers 65 years and older to take a road test every six months. If they fail take there license away. Many people think that teens are responsible for most of the reckless driving, but I've seen my far share of grams and gramps nearly running others off the road.
Sorry grandma.
Jack,
Isn't it ironic that the young, who have long lives in front of them, are in such a rush, and the old, who don't have as much time left, are in no hurry to get somewhere.
(No offense Suzanne!)
Dennis
Boulder
Jack,
Lower the unemployment rate and hire more troopers and cops. Follow it by doing away with warnings and cite them all. I say with aggression only because a four year old boy just got run over a week ago in my home town of Brainerd, MN.
Independent Joe (Minnesota)
Hi Jack. i live in toronto andwe have our bad drivers as well. i think that the best way to "put the brakes on bad driving" would be to have every driver in the state/province renew their license every 6 months or a year and when renewing their licence the state/province should look back at their driving history. If their driving history is marked with infractions then they should not be issued a renewal unless they can prove that they have become more mature and have learned to respect the road and other drivers as well. I believe that this can greatly reduce the numberof accidents that occur in the u.s.a and canada. There also should a fee applied to aggresive drivers who renew their licence, and good drivers should be rewarded. Jack there should be an incentive for drivers which would intice citizens to drive more carefully.
Jack,
The main problem is driver education to begin with. In countries such as Germany or Switzerland, the education is not only taken seriously but is also financially costly. These are two main factors that allow students to study the actual rules and vehicle dynamics. Bad drivers rarely pay attention to street signs let alone braking distances or weight balance of their vehicle. Fining drivers may be a good scare tactic, and a wonderful way to fund the local government, however it will never prevent the driver from actually correcting their mistakes.
Good Luck Jack... I have a collection of automobile publications going back to 1919 and guess what... They were complaining about the same "bad driving" problem then. The only way to fix the driving problem would be to put everyone on foot . And then the same "bad drivers" would become "bad walkers".....
Are the police our parents that need to go out hunting drivers for city budgets, who do not conform to a Conservative agenda. We know that this is not about good driving but feeding the court system with our dollars. Has the money for seat belts gone for safety problems or to pay for court fringe benefits. Has our legal system been about anything but money that never has concrete accounting. See if a speeding police officer will pay that fine. And wealthy drivers will have insurance companies pay the fines.
David Young (Poet)
Instead of focusing so much on punishing bad driving, maybe we should emphasize rewarding good drivers. Perhaps police could periodically pull over good drivers and reward them with a check. If people had more incentive to slow down, you would naturally see an increase in the number of safe drivers out there. Sure, this might cost more, but in this case shouldn't we be more focused on safety than on profit?
Come to Ontario Canada Jack! If you double the speed limit and you get caught you loose your lisence for several days, your car is impounded and the fine is up to 10,000 dollars! Yes just for speeding. With the U.S population ,some states could pay of their dept. No more IOU S in California.
Haven't heard you mention yet the BIG hazard of messaging and talking on cell phones in the car. Last week we were 2 cars away when someone talking on his phone plowed into 3 other cars at a stop light. No one seriously hurt, but A LOT of damage. Outlawing the use of cell phones while driving will probably turn out to be a MAJOR
preventitive of accidents.
At some point these offenders need to be removed from society like other violent criminals. Many bad drivers lose their license but continue to drive and get caught at it over and over with minimal repercussions, some even after killing people. We don’t let people kill or cripple people with other weapons, why do we let them keep doing it with automobiles? Driving like a maniac is a violent crime like attempted murder because that is what they are doing when they run lights, speed, and drive recklessly.
I grew up in Florida a gazillion years ago. Whenever we saw a huge car (Caddy, Lincoln) coming, we always looked carefully. Usually, you saw hands on the wheel and a gray head peeking through it. We were ultra careful.
Now I am old. I drive a small car but I've stopped driving at night. Most of the people in this town watch out for the mustard yellow car (the lady parks by smacking the car in front and then the car in back.)
I believe everyone should have to take a driving and road test at least every five years. Meanwhile FINE THE CRUMMY DRIVERS in degrees. One or two times might be "normal" but not three and up. Paying money gets everyone's attention.
Let's all get retested every 5 years as part of our license renewal process...we all have bad driving habits – sure it'll be a revenue generator but maybe our insurance rates will go down – now THAT'S something we could use in NJ!
Hi Jack
They should do what they do in England and that is, when you are driving ,that is all you do ,you do not use a cell phone, drink, eat , put on make-up,and any road infractions and you are nailed.
Want to stop road rage? Get the lane hogs out of the left lane ,
I have yet to see one person given a ticket for blocking that lane;
If us road ragers could get past those morons we wouldn't have
rage. I also don't see ANY signs that say "Keep right except to pass"
What you said those states are doing is great, but not far enough.
As a proffesional driver I say anyone who has 3 accidents in 3 years should be banned from the road. Twenty- five years proffesionally with hardly a scratch. That's the way it should be for everyone.
.
Fines and speeding tickets really wont solve anything because people see it as a highly improbable thing that will never happen to them and odds are it wont. How about along side the knowledge and driving test they should have a personality interview to test your mental stability.
all the ideas you mentioned sound good to me. a reckless driver in a speeding vehicle is a like a loaded gun waiting to go off.
Education, education, education. Stricter testing at state DMV would also weed out bad drivers. I am in the Washington DC area. As Wolf or anyone at the DC bureau can tell you we have some of the most oblivious and arrogant drivers in the country. What gets me is that they do the same stupid things every day that cause the same bottlenecks in the same places. It's madness. One might think they learn to merge by watching NASCAR. Perhaps a DOT campaign of public service announcements on TV and radio might start to educate people about safer and more cooperative driving techniques.
Bad drivers...hmmm...Does this include the people that drive side by side, block traffic and at 10 miles under the speed limit. Or how about the guy that passes you and immediatly turns right. How about those people that pull out in front of you and then drive along at well under the speed limit. There is also the people that expect you to only go as fast as they are, well under the speed limit because they have their dogs in the car. Then again the ones that slow down in certain areas for no reason at all. We have a lot of drivers out there that should just stay home because it is just too dangerous out there for themand they drive the rest of us nuts. That makes for aggessive drivers because they're...well...ticked. A traffic hazard isn't always they guy that is speeding a little bit or the one that is passing people.
Jack the answer is simple, as long as we have V8, V12 and sport car like Chevy camaro in this country, there is no way to stop bad driving.
Actually a good way to stop road rage is to line up Politicians and use paint guns, drivers will release the frustration of Washington profiling civilians with fines.
Simple. You suspend their driver's license for a given period of time and have them attend a safe drivers training course (which they must pass). Taking large amounts of money from them may impact their ability to feed their families and/or keep a roof over their heads.
This is a no-brainer... It should be against the law to change lanes more than once in a mile. If you are getting on the highway and getting right off on the next exit there is no reason to jump over two or three lanes then jump right back over two or three more lanes to exit. If you make a lane change you should have to stay in that lane for at least a mile before moving to another.Oh yeah, and how about enforcing the law about using turn signals when changing lanes? Raise that fine to $100 and it might get better results.
Make speeders and reckless drivers go back to traffic school and watch "Red Asphault" or home movies of victims over and over until they get "it". How about a blood pressure gauge on their steering wheel that detects higher levels of stress and automatically reduces the cars speed or stops the car automatically... similar to some breathalizers that prevent a drunk from driving his car...
The fact shows it all..More americans have been killed in road accidents than Americans killed in any of US war. So non of us should drive, we all need to fly.
The best and fail safe way to curb driving violations is to put a monitoring chip in each car. A chip that can be read by a fixed roadside reader. Something on the lines of an automatic toll payment chip on cars.
The chip should be able to read the cars speed and location and record it. This data should be downloadable by a policeman or by some authority assigned for it.
This will negate the use of patrolling the roads by policemen for speeding vehicles. All they need is a data collecting tower for cars posted on roadsides.
If researched upon, it should be a simple and mandatory installation.
The device could be activated by using the drivers licence, where the driver inserts the licence to activate the car. Data should then be stored on a magnetic strip/chip on the licence itself.
I live in Atlanta, home of some of the worst traffic and most aggressive driving in the nation.
That said, it is my sincere wish that drivers are forced to retake their test every 3-5 years at LEAST! Driving, much like everything else in this country that a person has to learn, had the bar lowered on qualifications a long time ago. I have often wondered if there isn't a mail in order for a driver's license on a box of cereal somewhere (probably fruit loops).
It is at the point where I fear for my life! I am sick and tired of dodging those on their phone talking and texting, turning with no blinker at the drop of a hat, speeding, tailgating – you name it, it happens daily. This simply must stop, People really don't even care that they could possibly kill someone with their car!
I say, in order to pass the drivers test- it has to be a taken at night, in the rain, through a downtown area with construction. That should be followed by a 2 hour written test including essay questions such as "Driving is a privilege because" and basic questions like, "The assured clear distance law states that a person should be no closer than _____ feet from the car in front of them". Not that anyone who works at the DMV is smart enough to grade such a test, but can you blame me for trying?
A sign on my door says, "Bill Collectors Will Be Shot, and Survivors Will Be Shot Again". Post it on the highways that "Speeders Will Be Shot". Then post the shot speeders as proof that "SPEED KILLS".
I drive 160 miles each day to and from work in NYC. When there I drive my truck around all day to and from job sites on the streets. Just because people are driving slow doesn't mean they are driving good. Most people drive like they are the only people that exist. Speeders generally have to pay attention to what they are doing. I see people reading newspapers, putting on make-up, eating meals ( not just a couple of chips mind you!) Never mind left turns from far right lane, using my safety cones as targets and another 15 minutes worth of my daily obstacles. People speeding a little bit are the least of my worries.
Joe in Easton, Pa.
I feel as though the answer lies not in the amount of horsepower a car has, but rather how much common sense and intelligence the driver has. Instead of anti drug lessons in schools, which many times fail to work anyway, they should teach defensive driving techniques, as cars are more accessible to most young kids than illegal drugs.
Hi Jack (remind me not to greet you on an airplane),
Enforcement of current laws is the best way by having more police on duty, and having outrageously expensive violations. Living in Sacramento is like living on the East Coast. Drivers cut you off in the crosswalk and either flip you off or blow their horn and curse at you, as if they have the right of way, if they even stop at the crosswalk. Same for bicyclists riding on the sidewalk. Watch out because I just might knock you over.
Jack, we are just soft on lawbreakers in General,
Did you know that in Holland for example, if you drink and drive..
first offense... YOU LOSE THE CAR....
no matter if its dads car or my older sister..
its gone! ! ! (they auction it off)
Can you imagine? Junior going home and telling his father...
" Umm dad I lost the car"
If your involved in an accident while being drunk...
the car is gone and so is your license -FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS.
first offense.... no kidding..
John
Toronto
Kudos to Kansas! They got it right. Slower traffic keep right, make it a National law and enforce it. Get the word out in multiple languags on every TV channel. Every day I see people enter the highway and go immediately to the far left lane and drive the exact speed limit holding up any and all traffic that prefers to move slightly faster. It all about courtesy to other drivers. Don't ignore the person tail gating you, you're probably going to slow in the left lane. Simply move to the right lane and let them go by. The police will decide if they deserve a ticket later on down the road.
I think we all be safer if we increase the speed limit on the freeways and assigning the left lane for passing only and prohibiting passing from right lane. I also believe increasing the fines for tailgaters dramatically will help since I believe the most freeway accidents are the result of tailgating. It will also be helpful if the law enforcement officers (which I respect them greatly) spend their time, taxpayer’s money and energy to catch the real unsafe drivers vs. setting up traps for very much less serious offences such as a California roll. And no I haven’t been cited for California roll.
Ps. Love your show and comments,
A big advocate of safe driving, KT
Get the under speed limit drivers to move out of the fast lane, pull smartly onto the freeway and the reat get off their phones and text messaging.
They proved this in germany that the slow and hesitant drivers caused more issues than tha fast ones. At traffic light how many cars don't get through on green as those in front are not paying attention by texting etc. If we stop treating driving like a secondary pastime and the important focused task it really is, all traffic would move better.
Jack, if we are all honest with ourselves we know that all the fines, and punishments will only at best make a dent in the ignorance that takes place on our roads today. Here is an idea; mandatory prison time!! Texting while driving, drunk driving; give me a break! We are way too soft as a country. Mandatory prison time Jack its the only way.
By the way Jack; I am from rural South Carolina and proud of it despite the ignorance of my Governor.
People need to start writing there license plat number's down and report the dangerous and obnauches drivers to the police.
I don't know. Some drivers, no matter what fines or penalties they receive, or driving courses they have to take, never change. I've heard of too many people who drive despite having a suspended license. I once read an article about drivers who were repeat offenders. They readily admitted to continue to drive in the manner that got them in trouble in the first place (and second and third).
Hi Jack, I'm an aggressive driver. Other drivers have taught me to be this way. I certainly didn't start out like this. I was timid, shy and afraid to drive on the highway. After being stepped on most of my life I have turned the tables on all you others who think your the best drivers in the world. You know who you are. You pull out in front of me like I'm standing still on the road and think its your right to slow me down. Don't worry, I bought a Chevy with a very powerful engine and can pass you in a heartbeat. And in case your wondering, I haven't been in an accident since I was 20 (now 50).
Merely having to repeat the tests after causing 3 crashes in 3 years (as in Florida) is absurd!
For the first crash or serious aggressive driving offense – IF nobody was hurt – I suggest a $500 fine and 60-day suspension. Second offense: $1,000 fine, one month in jail and one year suspension. Third offense: one year in jail and permanent loss of license.
Rudi
Rye, NY
Today's problems could be minor compared to the problems when all of us baby boomers (yes including me) start becoming aged drivers at the same time. Society is going to have to accept re-testing of drivers rather than acting like a driver's license is a Constitutional right.
The only way to stop bad drivers is to take them off the road. Let's focus on solid public transportation for America and stop having to drive period. We put to much focus on the wrong things too often. This could have such a positive impact in so many ways
We were glad to hear that Florida, Georgia and Kansas recognize the dangers of aggressive driving, but their initiatives don't go far enough to curtail the problem. Bad drivers should be required to use GPS speed limiting (technology available in Britain, Sweden, Austrialia) that locally controls the car to the speed limit . The USA needs to invest in digital speed maps to enable this technology. A second option is to require the bad driver's speed and location, be recorded and monitored while they are operating the car using available GPS-cell phone systems (currently advertized for monitoring teenage drivers by parents). Also, the legal system needs to recognize that it is part of the problem. If a person has been pulled over for reckless driving, the charge shouldn't be reduced in court to a lesser traffic infraction. Any of these actions could of saved our son's life from being a victim of a bad driver.
With all of the cell phones around and the fact that every seems to think that they drive better while talking on their cell phones; why not film/photograph the offensive driver, turn the evidence over to the police and let the offending driver be prosecuted?