Chilling last text sent by teenage driver seconds before she died in 80mph crash

[LasMa]

Originally Posted by hkobb7

No, lateparty, talking on the phone while you drive isn't a surefire sign of narcissism, just as speeding because you're late or passing someone in the right-hand lane is hardly narcissistic, but an action of necessity. Sure, not following laws is defiant. That's what defiance is.

I sure hope I don't live anywhere near you.

[Gourmetmom]

hkobb7 has lots of gems:

They shut down all the cell phones in the gym? That sounds kind of dangerous, actually.

A moment without a phone? Imagine!

However, this sort of reasoning - the law does not apply to me...I know better...or, I can handle driving/speeding/texting better than others...is the thinking that leads young people to do this, even though they know that it is risky. All I can say is that I hope that my children respect me enough to listen to what I tell them...especially regarding their own safety, and that of others.

[familyof3boys]

I'm not sure that racking up expensive tickets would stop some texters.

Some asked what does making it illegal do? If a police officer sees a teen using a cell phone, he can pull the teen over & fine him $100 plus 60-day license suspension and youth traffic school (first offense), then $250 with six-month suspension and then $500 with a one-year suspension.

Hopefully, having his/her license suspended would stop them. (But, then again, maybe not.)

[MityMox]

My daughter has heard about the dangers of texting and driving. She now understands that both her phone and her car are both huge privileges and must be respected. A few days ago I passed her on the way to the store - she was on her phone - pulled over on the side of the road. I am so proud of her!

[waqas439]

texting during driving is fatal

[SunnySally]

Could it be that the teen years are just too young for a drivers license? It might sound crazy but wouldn't there be much fewer accidents if there were fewer teenage drivers? The same could be said for drivers that are too old as well. Maybe we make it too easy for people to get a drivers license. If it was tougher and more rigorous to keep the license then people might take it more seriously.

It is horrible to think about all the kids who text and then die at the wheel. What is even worse is to consider all of the others that are injured or killed because of those same individuals. It is sheer stupidity and a complete disregard for others to text and drive. How is it any different from drinking and driving?

There are so many ways that people can get distracted on the road. Commuting is boring, especially if it is a four hour commute. That is certainly something to think about for any parent that thinks it would be better for a kid to live so far away from school and having to drive regularly. The thought of how difficult it is to drive that much, that often is something that should be part of the equation when the ideas of college and all of it's repercussions/possibilities are being considered..

[paying3tuitions]

she was on her phone - pulled over on the side of the road. I am so proud of her!

Yes, but advise her that this really happened (to my son, in Los Angeles): Before he initiated a phone call, he pulled off the road, parked in a mini-mall parking space, and put his car gear into "Park." THEN he began to phone. However -- he left his engine running.

A policeman leaving the mall store observed him with engine running and phone to his ear, walked over to the car, had him roll down the window and gave him a Big Ticket.

What your D did was great, just tell her to be sure to turn off the engine.

[GladGradDad]

A policeman leaving the mall store observed him with engine running and phone to his ear, walked over to the car, had him roll down the window and gave him a Big Fat Ticket.

Did he try to fight that ticket? I think there's a good chance he'd have beat that one.

Regardless, the cop was being a (*insert adjective here) to do that to your S. In the time he spent doing that there were probably dozens of drivers actually driving past them with the phone to their ear while driving.

[paying3tuitions]

^Thanks, GGD, we felt that way, too.

S has a gift of gab as well as diplomatic skills. As he described it, he tried to engage the officer before the ticket began. He showed him the gear in Park, described what he was doing, and so on.

Fact is, in L.A. our son -- like a lot of young men -- is in the target demographic where policemen want to make a point.

We discussed his going to fight it in court, but the time to go to court, not earn the hourly salary in his dayjob, and possibly lose made him decide not to fight it, but just pay it.

These things bother me because I know how many hours he had to work to earn back that sum.

[rushedmom]

Very sad story, and we have made it very clear to D that texting and driving are a big no no.

[Izanagi]

At least we have 1 dangerous driver off the road.

[FutureWeatherman]

Yes she is, but unfortunately, she's dead. That's not good at all.

[socialbutterfly1]

Are people crazy or what? What happened to both hands on the steering wheel while driving? Texting and driving don't mix just like drinking and driving don't mix. It should be illegal in every state.

[MD Mom]

Unfortunately, even with it being illegal, it does not stop.

[LegacyMom]

Very sad for her family. Thankfully, she didn't hurt anyone else. Hard to feel for someone who knew she was risking her life and bragged about it. But kids do stupid things all the time. Some manage to escape unscathed -- others don't. My sons don't text much thankfully and it is already illegal in our state for teens to be using phones while driving.