Cause they're using the full size laptop on the dash, I'd like to know the definition of distracted driving. Is turning down the radio a violation, reading a billboard as you drive by, an obnoxious bumper sticker, a baby crying in the back seat.....is it anything that distracts while driving?

I get actually typing and reading a text, email or facebook (or Aldeer) while driving. That is a distraction. Back in the day I recall seeing people reading newspapers and books while driving...same thing.

But what about voice controls for texting? Hit one button or say "Ok Google, text home" and proceed.

It's this generations' drinking/driving.

Accidents/injuries are becoming more and more common because of it. Insurance costs are skyrocketing because of it.

There needs to be a fix and it needs to come very soon.

Police can't look at your phone without a warrant. Even to check text or call logs.

I guess I wasn't clear. I see people text and drive all the time when I'm in my personal vehicle but not too often when I'm driving a police vehicle. Same thing when our city council wants to know why there aren't many citations for Loud Music Ordinance violations? Simple, people don't pull up next to a police car with the music blaring.

As to what constitutes distracted driving, there is a lot of discretion given to officers in that code. The thing is if they write a citation, they had better have something to back it up. For instance, testify that while putting on her make up in the morning commute, they saw the car driven by the defendant cross the center line. I suppose your question is the reason the state legislature felt the need to specifically name Texting While Driving as an offense. They could have just amended the Driving While Distracted statute to say texting while driving is Prima Facie evidence of Driving While Distracted, but since we need more laws on the books they made a separate one.

I'm pretty sure that the law is going change pretty soon on driving while intexticated.

Yes, they are. Driving last week on I-65 between Louisville and Bowling Green I saw a girl who looked to be 18- to 21-years old driving a beater at about 85+ mph. I know that because traffic was going about 78-80 mph and she blew in-out LOOKING AT HER PHONE AND TEXTING for miles.

I saw her run off the road on the right side but miss the barrier. Saw her weave over the center line 3-4 times. She ran off the left side emergency lane once almost to the grass. Ran up on several vehicles, from behind, and then jerked over in the other lane to pass and gun it.

I knew she had the phone in her hand because she eventually had to slow down in a couple of spots. She never had the phone out of her right hand, glancing down, texting w/ her thumb. At some point the traffic thinned out and she hauled her (fat) ass on down the road.

I don't wish ill will on people. I don't like government overreach. Texting and driving obviously hasn't killed enough people OR the right people yet to have government, technology and vehicle manufacturers get together to say "Enough, this isn't good." and create something.

Go stand at a redlight somewhere and watch how many people immediately look at their phones or already are.

Clem, see how many folks just sit there when the light goes green because they are looking down at their phone.

Oh, sure.

I can't be 100% pious because I've been guilty of it. But now I stick my phone in the console, close the lid and don't touch it. Texting/driving is the new Drinking/driving.

Teenagers and college-age kids think they're bulletproof because their friends haven't died yet. Like I said, the right people and enough people haven't died yet. There's not a MADD-type text/drive group yet with enough juice to go against technology (Apple, Samsung) and the vehicle manufacturers.

This - I see it all over what little time I'm on the road. Its an addiction.

The Columbus georgia police department set a sting operation using LEO officers dressed up in jeans , shirts and road construction vests and wrote nearly a 1,000 tickers one day several weeks ago.

Yep. I know the Teenagers are hard at it, but i witnessed over a dozen folks texting and driving last week, and 2 were men, 4 was teenage girls, and the rest were middle aged women...

It is an expensive ticket. That's all I'll say about that.

My question is, how can you not say "no, I wasn't texting, I was changing song to my Bluetooth".

Or changing book on tape, or looking up directions to where you're going , or anything.

Is it literally texting? Or looking at phone that is illegal while driving?

Also don't see the disabling thing working,... what if 6 adults are in car? All 6 can't use their phones the whole ride?

Its all distracted driving. Its not what you are doing. Its that you aren't looking at the road. And as for the other - don't know.

I agree, I just wonder how the law reads.

"I wasn't texting, I was reading my e-bible", lots of things

Is eating a hamburger going to be same charge?

I thought I was going to get into it with a guy recently. I was headed up the road not far from my house and saw a truck coming on my side of the road. I got on the horn and he got over but I could see it was a teenage boy texting. He had his phone at the top of the steering wheel.

I kept on my horn until he passed and apparently he didn't like it because he just stopped in the road behind me. I slowed down to see if he was going to turn around and follow me but he just kept sitting there and I went on. Good thing too,since I didn't really feel like beating his ass or shooting him.

Never mind.

What I don't understand is why texting is so cool that you have to do it instead of just talking using bluetooth. It drives me crazy that my idiot kids won't just talk on a phone.