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Biggest Spike in Traffic Deaths in 50 Years? Blame Apps

nytimes.com

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Re: Biggest Spike in Traffic Deaths in 50 Years? Blame Apps

#161

Post by Ntrails »

brohoolio wrote: post #124
apsec112 wrote: post #65

Headline: "Blame Apps" Evidence given in the article: - "Safety experts say" that it's true. The experts are not named or quoted. No evidence or reasoning is given to support the claim. - Highway fatalities are up this year. However, they're still significantly down from 2007, when the iPhone was first introduced. Mobile has been booming for almost a decade - if we should "blame apps", why hasn't it been a concern be…

It's true. I see so many people looking down now at their phones while driving. I'm not sure why it's acceptable now, but it's commonplace. I counted at least 10 drivers on my 12 minute commute yesterday. The scariest one was someone coming in the opposite direction who didn't look up in the 5 seconds I was driving past him. It would have been easy for him to drift into a head on collision.

I'll check my messages at a traffic light, or flick to the next song whilst driving. I don't see any particular danger in these things (apart from possibly angering the poor bugger behind me if I'm slow to notice the lights change). Much like ye olden days of changing a cassette or tuning the radio - there are times and place to pay less attention. People just need to be sensible.

Re: Biggest Spike in Traffic Deaths in 50 Years? Blame Apps

#162

Post by jacobush »

flukus wrote: post #152
sidlls wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

News isn't experimental data.

No, but they can report information without having to turn stuff into a narrative.

Then we will complain about that. "Yes, but what does it MEAN?!"

Re: Biggest Spike in Traffic Deaths in 50 Years? Blame Apps

#163

Post by flukus »

gambiting wrote: post #158
flukus wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You think the features of car touchscreens will still be relevant in 5 years? The point them in because it adds planned obsolescence.

I really don't think it's planned obsolescence - it's just that automotive entertainment systems are subject to the same amount of testing as everything else in the car, which means your average media system is 5 years behind. I have a 2005 Land Rover Discovery 3 with a touch screen, and at 11 years old, it still works the same as on the day I bought it. That's what you want. Software and hardware which continues wor…

I agree the tesla system is pretty bad, but software needs to be updatable. How many exploits do you think your 2005 land rover has?

Re: Biggest Spike in Traffic Deaths in 50 Years? Blame Apps

#164

Post by elcct »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #159
elcct wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They obviously have agenda. Perhaps some restrictions on apps are coming into legislation and they want to "soften" the public on the matter or just "test the waters". Same type of "journalism" you can see in illegal drugs themed articles

Or they just know that they have a significant population of readers who think computers and smartphones are unnatural, evil and genetically modified poison, and that they have another significant population of readers who will call them out on the bullshit. Igniting a powderkeg of polarized readers is a great way to drive traffic, and therefore ad money. Yes, it seems like standard operating procedure for contempora…

This sadly can also be true.

Re: Biggest Spike in Traffic Deaths in 50 Years? Blame Apps

#165

Post by mnw21cam »

Ntrails wrote: post #161
brohoolio wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's true. I see so many people looking down now at their phones while driving. I'm not sure why it's acceptable now, but it's commonplace. I counted at least 10 drivers on my 12 minute commute yesterday. The scariest one was someone coming in the opposite direction who didn't look up in the 5 seconds I was driving past him. It would have been easy for him to drift into a head on collision.

I'll check my messages at a traffic light, or flick to the next song whilst driving. I don't see any particular danger in these things (apart from possibly angering the poor bugger behind me if I'm slow to notice the lights change). Much like ye olden days of changing a cassette or tuning the radio - there are times and place to pay less attention. People just need to be sensible.

Do that in the UK in front of a police officer, and expect several points on your licence and a fine.

You're only allowed to use a distracting device in similar circumstances as you are allowed to be drunk. Arguing with an officer that you are parked by the side of the road is not sufficient if for example you have the engine on. In some circumstances just sitting in the driver's seat while in possession of the keys and drunk is enough for a conviction.

Re: Biggest Spike in Traffic Deaths in 50 Years? Blame Apps

#166

Post by gambiting »

chrisrogers wrote: post #145
ajmurmann wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or maybe we could give drivers tickets for that kinda stuff instead of almost exclusively giving tickets for speeding which I especially on the freeway believe to be a comparatively small problem.

High speed collisions are a significant source of fatalities, so I wouldn't characterize speeding as a small problem.

High speed != speeding. Of course a collision at 70 or 80mph will have more fatalities on average than a collision at a "city" speed, but I would argue that safe driving in the city should be our priority, not catching people doing 90 on an 80 mph road.

Re: Biggest Spike in Traffic Deaths in 50 Years? Blame Apps

#167

Post by venomsnake »

apsec112 wrote: post #65

Headline: "Blame Apps" Evidence given in the article: - "Safety experts say" that it's true. The experts are not named or quoted. No evidence or reasoning is given to support the claim. - Highway fatalities are up this year. However, they're still significantly down from 2007, when the iPhone was first introduced. Mobile has been booming for almost a decade - if we should "blame apps", why hasn't it been a concern be…

Don't forget that cars get progressively safer with each passing year.

So and uptick could actually mean quite a spike if you normalize.

Re: Biggest Spike in Traffic Deaths in 50 Years? Blame Apps

#168

Post by paganel »

et-al wrote: post #12

As an aside, sometimes I wonder about how much more efficient we are today due to smartphones. Places where we've lost time: - at the stoplight, the driver in front of you is too busy looking down to notice the light has changed - in the bathroom, people check social media on the toilet - on the sidewalk, folks walk slower because they're pre-occupied with texting - meeting up with friends, it's more acceptable to be…

> in the bathroom, people check social media on the toilet

I've always used the toilet breaks to read actual books or newspapers (except at work, where it would look funny carrying a book with me to the toilet), and I hope I'm not the only one still doing that. Otherwise you make very good points, never thought about it that way.

Re: Biggest Spike in Traffic Deaths in 50 Years? Blame Apps

#169

Post by Shivetya »

apsec112 wrote: post #65

Headline: "Blame Apps" Evidence given in the article: - "Safety experts say" that it's true. The experts are not named or quoted. No evidence or reasoning is given to support the claim. - Highway fatalities are up this year. However, they're still significantly down from 2007, when the iPhone was first introduced. Mobile has been booming for almost a decade - if we should "blame apps", why hasn't it been a concern be…

while the headline is sensational the use of mobile devices leading to more accidents is not. as an avid motorcyclist I tend to pay more attention to what people are doing around me and especially those who can cross my path.

I cannot count on my drive to work the number of times I see people looking at their phones. The head down move which is all to obvious to the arm out towards the driver seat to the blatant on top of the steering wheel. I used to think it was bad they were using the phones while driving, but that isn't near as bad as what goes on today.

There is enough tech in smart phones to know when they are in modern cars and definitely to know they are moving. If anything they could blank the screen and with full connectivity of Apple and Google play type technologies they easily can tell if the car is operating. I know, but what about passengers. Well what about safety.

Distracted driving is as dangerous if not more than impaired driving. At least the impaired driver is making an effort at driving

Re: Biggest Spike in Traffic Deaths in 50 Years? Blame Apps

#170

Post by mark_integerdsv »

brohoolio wrote: post #124
apsec112 wrote: post #65

Headline: "Blame Apps" Evidence given in the article: - "Safety experts say" that it's true. The experts are not named or quoted. No evidence or reasoning is given to support the claim. - Highway fatalities are up this year. However, they're still significantly down from 2007, when the iPhone was first introduced. Mobile has been booming for almost a decade - if we should "blame apps", why hasn't it been a concern be…

It's true. I see so many people looking down now at their phones while driving. I'm not sure why it's acceptable now, but it's commonplace. I counted at least 10 drivers on my 12 minute commute yesterday. The scariest one was someone coming in the opposite direction who didn't look up in the 5 seconds I was driving past him. It would have been easy for him to drift into a head on collision.

Oh god... here I go... as a motorcyclist (sorry) this is something that is utterly frightening.

I'm out there on the road doing my fu-cking damndest to make sure that I'm driving defensively and predictably, kind of just trying to ensure that I see my wife and twi girls that evening.

I'm at standing height next to your window, so I can see right in there while you text and check Facebook whilst piloting a 2 ton machine at upwards of 100kph.

The mind boggles at just how common this is, I'd say one in three on some days. At highway speeds.

It ain't right peeps.

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