Found guilty, teen to serve year in fatal texting crash

Yay! I don't want to lose my life because some had to type "lol" to their friend immediately.

I think this is the start to making a difference. More states will follow now and as it hits people's home states, I think it will be on more people's radars.

My daughter was killed (5 weeks after giving birth) by a 18 yr old boy high on pot. He recieved 8yrs (max) for manslaughter. He served only 2 yrs. He had his license revoked but that does not stop him from driving. If you think they won't drive because they have no license you are sadly mistaken.....they will and do drive without them! He should have gotten a stiffer sentance because he took my daughter and left a 5 week old baby without her mother, but the state law is max 8 yrs. Good behavior he got out in 2 yrs. How sad is that?

BTW: the boy has moved back in with his pot smokin friends so I am sure he is smoking again.

I think the sentence isn't severe enough, but honestly, 15 years without a licence is sentencing him to have no job, or one that anyone would want to work. You don't think he's going to feel horrible for what he did? He may not, for all we know he may be a sociopath, but that would be unlikely.I know of many people who have had much less severe sentences for drunk driving and who are driving within three or so years of their third offense.

I think this sentence is more about setting an example though, trying to prove a point.

Slap on the wrist for murdering someone.

This gets into "what is justice" territory. Yes, he killed someone. But, since he's not a serial killer or otherwise a sociopath, he has to live with what he's done. For most rational people, that's punishment enough. No amount of prison time is going to undo what was done. And given the nature of our current penal system, prison generally only destroys another life. This kid made a mistake. A huge mistake, but it was still a mistake.

I agree. My sister was killed by a teenaged drunk driver. The kid's father turned him in when he saw the news report on TV. This whole thing tore our family apart and it tore his apart. As the article said, there are no winners. Lesson to be learned is teaching our kids how very, very dangerous a weapon a car can be. I don't think we do enough of that as a society. The only thing that will truly change behaviors is education - experience does too, but I think we would all like to avoid that.

That said, I do think prison time is appropriate - taking a life is not to be taken lightly.

I used to text, rarely, but when I almost crashed my car I stopped. It woke me up and I realized how stupid I was being. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I got someone hurt or killed cause I was on my phone or texting. I put my ear piece in now and I try not to even use that.

I stopped texting for the same reason, the crash that almost happened. I also realized that every time I texted I would start to slowly veer to the left or should I say into upcoming traffic.

No, it won't make a difference.

US 1995
1,436,000 people arrested nationally for drunk driving / DUI (Driving under the Influence) [1]
11,994 fatal accidents nationally where at least one driver had a BAC of 0.8% or above [2]
13,478 people were killed nationally in accidents where at least one driver had a BAC of 0.8% or above [2]
2,416 people were killed nationally in accidents where at least one driver had a BAC between 0.01% and 0.07% [2]
15,893 total deaths were caused nationally where at least one driver had a BAC of 0.01% or above [2]

US 2007
1,427,494 people arrested nationally for drunk driving / DUI (Driving under the Influence) [1]
11,780 fatal accidents nationally where at least one driver had a BAC of 0.8% or above [2]
13,041 people were killed nationally in accidents where at least one driver had a BAC of 0.8% or above [2]
2,494 people were killed nationally in accidents where at least one driver had a BAC between 0.01% and 0.07% [2]
15,534 total deaths were caused nationally where at least one driver had a BAC of 0.01% or above [2]



edited to add:
sources:
[1] FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation [Uniform Crime Reports]
[2] NHTSA - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [Fatality Analysis]
source for sources:
http://www.dui-usa.drinkdriving.org/dui_drunkdriving_statistics.php#fbi
Relevance:
There is no question that the US has pretty broadly been cracking down with progressively less-tolerance for DUI offenses, with stiffer and stiffer penalties, between '95 and '07, and yet there is no meaningful movement in the stats.

I get the impression Americans are a bit less willing to accept the dangers of texting and driving.

In the UK it is illegal and has been for a few years.

It is starting to be seen as an offense that is more akin to Drunk Driving than Speeding.

Indeed some insurance companies are refusing to insure drivers with using phone convictions.

To be honest I largely agree. It is hugely dangerous and if you kill someone by doing it I dont see why it should be a six month misdemeanor.

Only time I ever seem to have my phone in my hand in my car is when my F'in blueetoth wont connect.. pile of crap that bluetooth is

I am not sure of the severity....I think its a good punishment...Do I think it will make a difference...NO...Because it's mostly teens who do this and they think that it will never happen to them....Sad but true...

I see just as many adults texting as teens. It started off as teens who mostly were the ones, but now it's pretty even. IMO

Its literally boggling my mind reading people here DEFENDING the killer.

I am not sure of the severity....I think its a good punishment...Do I think it will make a difference...NO...Because it's mostly teens who do this and they think that it will never happen to them....Sad but true...

To be honest in my experience of doing a lot of driving here in the UK it seems to be mainly women on school runs type who think the law applies to everyone else and are totally oblivious and haven't got a clue.

Most teenagers I see drive fairly well ... they just get a bad rap... and lack the experience to know what they need to do when they are sliding towards a tree in their crappy nissan because the insurance they have to pay means they can only afford cars that to be quite frank I wouldn't drive 10 feet in