Technology

What If Texting While Driving Was Part of a Driver’s Ed Test? Non-Profit Films Student Reaction

In many states texting while driving is a ticketable offense, and the news is frequently peppered with statistics about the accidents and fatalities associated with the distraction while driving. But how exactly do you convince people not to text and drive?

One non-profit in Belgium thought of a way using a method similar to reverse psychology and forced people taking their driver’s test to pass texting lesson. They filmed the results:

As you can see, the group Responsible Young Drivers proved its point. As the driving instructor speaks the text messages that need to be sent, the drivers are seen clearly distracted, even getting frustrated and letting out a scream as they hit cones and throw the teacher — who at times isn’t wearing a seat belt — toward the dash. Drivers even stated they would stop driving all together if this texting test were in fact part of the law.

Do you think you could pass if this were part of your driver’s test?

[H/T Gizmodo]

Comments (25)

  • Conservophiliac
    Posted on May 4, 2012 at 1:29am

    I have taken over 350 hours of college courses on tape and watched thousands of movies all while driving/eating/towing big-fully-loaded-trailers. There are times when you have to not watch and just put it on pause because traffic is too sporadic, but I never get into accidents and I put on over 50k miles a year. Texting, on the other hand, I cannot do for more than about 1 letter. if you think you can you are wrong. I guarantee I am a far better driver than you are and it is notoriously dangerous to text. You have to be a complete fool to do it while driving.

    Report Post » Conservophiliac  
  • SerikFox
    Posted on May 3, 2012 at 8:37pm

    I don’t even like driving, let alone texting. I’m not going to do one with the other either way. It’s a recipe for disaster.

    Report Post »  
  • catholicschoolmom
    Posted on May 3, 2012 at 7:20pm

    What’s next? Driving while doing oral sex, texting, posting on facebook, drinking grounded up bugs, and changing the music cd all at one time?!

    Report Post » catholicschoolmom  
  • RodT82721
    Posted on May 3, 2012 at 11:40am

    Nothing will stop the drivers that think texting their message is more important then their life.

    You know, they have the phone in the hand – they could just speed dial their party and then leave a voice message, all the while watching the road! But that’s just not cool, and usually they have nothing to say anyway.

    When car-phones first came out in CA, the 60′s, it was illegal to use it while driving. The good thing was most people that actually had them, they were very expensive, were smart enough to follow that law. Not so much now with our techno experts and cellphones.

    Report Post »  
  • objectivetruth
    Posted on May 3, 2012 at 11:08am

    Better idea drive in my town for awhile.That should make them very afraid.True real life deadly distractions alright.Being purposely pinned in.Having idiots making left hand turns running a red due to inattention.The opposing lane with a green light has to swerve off the road to avoid a potentially fatal crash.Certain sections of roadway taking over by insurance fraudsters.Yes it actuaslly has a very discernable pattern both in terms of vechiles and stretches of road and attitude of drivers.You can tell the difference between them and certain practice sessions of others[lawful and needed-training sessions]People who will stop in the middle of traffic without a thought or cause.
    Not to mention the normal hazards of those texting,cell phone users and the like.Anyone who drives in this town and texts cell phone uses exc is suicidal.

    Report Post »  
  • 1cooldaddyo
    Posted on May 3, 2012 at 10:53am

    You people who are so “zero-tolerance” on texting are the very same ones who would complain to high heaven when your medical test has to be postponed because equipment is down because the service technician was delayed because he had to keep stopping on the freeway to answer emails due to your idiotic law.
    If it’s safe to text and drive (yes there are times when it is so) then do so. If it’s not safe, ignore the message or pull over. If you crash, well there already other laws dealing with that.
    Like the anti-gunners, the anti-texters seem to think that making a law will make danger go away.

    Report Post »  
    • JRook
      Posted on May 3, 2012 at 11:11am

      When people stop putting on makeup and drinking coffee from huge cups while driving I’ll stop texting. This is where the anti big government people need to display the strength of their conviction. A drivers license, safe car, insurance and adherence to necessary speed limits is all the government should demand of drivers.

      Report Post »  
  • neoconpunk
    Posted on May 3, 2012 at 10:51am

    Let them text, it thins the herd.

    Report Post »  
  • Lonescrapper
    Posted on May 3, 2012 at 8:31am

    What if negotiating between two siblings fighting in the back seat were required on a drivers test??? That’s a lot harder than texting while driving. Why don’t they test them on driving past an accident without staring or slowing? How about test them by having squirrels running across the road while they are talking to the passenger?

    Report Post » Lonescrapper  
    • Cerealface
      Posted on May 3, 2012 at 9:22am

      What if you have to stop a hemorrhage while operating on your patient because you’re a doctor?

      Report Post » Cerealface  
    • JRook
      Posted on May 3, 2012 at 10:38am

      Mandatory seat belts, no texting, no cell phones, insurance surcharges for tickets, etc. etc. Why is it that the insurance industry can lobby and push through laws that reduce their liability and payouts, but their rates never seem to go down as a result??

      Report Post »  
  • jcldwl
    Posted on May 3, 2012 at 8:22am

    Nice exercise but you know they will all still text and drive. They can’t help themselves. They have fallen for the world of technology and can’t go without it for a second.

    Report Post » jcldwl  
  • MittensKittens
    Posted on May 3, 2012 at 7:06am

    I loath that we need the media to tell the American people it’s a bad idea to text and drive…Just goes to show as each generation comes, so goes common sense.

    Report Post » MittensKittens  
    • SgtB
      Posted on May 3, 2012 at 7:58am

      The myth that common sense ever existed in a generation needs to go away. Not even the “greatest generation” had common sense. Sure, they fought the NAZI’s and won, but they also instituted the same eugenics policies here in America that Hitler had in Germany. Don’t believe me? Just look up the number of states with forced sterilization laws from 1930 – 1950. The number might surprise you. Spoiler alert, it was more than have. And don’t get me started on the generations before them that instituted the income tax followed swiftly by prohibition. And should I also bring up the using of our military in the Banana wars to suppress South American natives and force them back to work on the rubber farms?

      Only individuals are capable of common sense. Generations or any massive group is incapable of demonstrating common sense. You name me a generation and I’ll give you a list of their idiotic and anti-common sense contributions to the world.

      Report Post » SgtB  
    • Lonescrapper
      Posted on May 3, 2012 at 8:34am

      It’s no worse an idea than putting kids in the back seat. I bet you kids arguing in the back seat has caused WAY more arguments than texting. I bet you turning on your spouse while he’s driving has caused plenty of accidents too. I bet you hookers in bikini’s at the local 7-11 have caused a lot of accidents. You CANT prevent accidents. That has always been the problem with these little campaigns. It’s truly a waste of money.

      Report Post » Lonescrapper  
  • Lamarr01
    Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:58am

    Why would someone send a text message?

    The local high school has many car accidents in the high school parking lot.

    Report Post » Lamarr01  
  • KingDork
    Posted on May 3, 2012 at 1:28am

    On one hand I am not one to restrict anyone from ending themselves due to idiotic carelessness but on the other hand often enough when someone makes a grave mistake on the road it destroys others…

    Just scary period.

    Report Post » KingDork  
  • tharpdevenport
    Posted on May 3, 2012 at 1:13am

    You know, since so many younger people are texting while driving, as well as older folks who should know better, maybe a test involving texting while you drive, and fake accidents, like a stuffed dog suddenly dragged across the road, or a child maniquinn steps out. Real life stuff, not faked ones timed to get it so they are hit. Or a car suddenly having to break, so forth.

    OF course they won’t be told in advance, that way they can’t hide they fact they have a cell and text. It’ll quietly be worked in like, “Do you have a cellphone on you? There’s no texting while driving.” — something to coax the texting otu of them, then WHAM! When they admit they text, tell them it’s part of it.

    They FAIL is they hit or clip one thing. In real life, that could be vehicular manslaughter or an E.R. visit for some poor person or animal — no second chance.

    Report Post » tharpdevenport  
  • JinOH
    Posted on May 3, 2012 at 1:02am

    I see this crap daily – scares the hell out of me. I’ve probably avoided well North of 100 crashes at night with these idiots. I won’t even look at my cell phone while driving.

    Report Post »  
  • bp1
    Posted on May 3, 2012 at 1:02am

    Un announced distractions should be part of a drivers test because they will and do happen in real life (you can’t legislate distractions away)

    I’m a pilot, and flying an airplane requires a lot of vigilance during the departure and arrival phases (ie takeoffs and landings), and much less so en route (unless flying through weather). When you take your practical pilots tests (ie flying with the eaminier at your side), he will purposely cause distractions (most likely in the landing phase). These include dropping things on the floor, asking you to get something etc. While flying in controlled airspace (which means almost anywhere that isn’t rural), you need to be able to operate an aircraft 2-way radio including changing channels, tuning navigation radios, referencing at both charts (maps) and plates (detailed arrival/ departure instructions). respond to immediate requests by ground controllers, process amended flight plans (means they decide to change your flight path) and verifying that they are correct, monitor all aspects of the aircraft both flight instruments, exterior weather, and engine performance, manage fuel and fly the aircraft per plan (which means following navigational radios, maintaining a heading (like on a boat) and maintaining an alttude within a hundred feet or so.

    And now the government wants to tell me that I can’t use a cell phone in my car? Does this make any sense????????

    Report Post »  
    • sawbuck
      Posted on May 3, 2012 at 7:03am

      Bp1
      Although I respect the degree of difficulty and balance during
      the operations of flying a plain…
      I do not agree with you comparison.. I know you have flocks of birds
      on occasion that pilots have to be leery of .
      And the life of the birds are Not factored in because they are irrelevant
      when it comes to human life …

      But while driving a vehicle ..If a group of people… or even one person
      cross its path…That a whole different story.

      Report Post » sawbuck  
  • KevINtampa
    Posted on May 3, 2012 at 12:59am

    I for one would like to know ALL of the requirements here. Sure looked like the editing department hacked this one. Don‘t get me wrong people shouldn’t text and drive. I don’t think we need a law for it though, you shouldn‘t regulate something that’s common sense; it’s a dangerous precedent. We you vote for a law like that, you are basically saying, “I have no common sense, I am dependent; please tell me not to text while driving in front of a judge if I do it.”

    That said if an accident does occur, and someone was on the phone, it can be told to the judge or jury that is an aspect of reckless driving.

    I also don’t think we should use deceptive advertising either. This is a great way to teach teens a little common sense for sure, but hopefully this campaign isn’t used as a means to lobby for a common sense law.

    It’s Europe though, so it’s probably already illegal.

    Report Post »  
    • Matrix22
      Posted on May 3, 2012 at 4:35am

      Unfortunately it’s no longer “common sense” because it’s happening all the time. It would be like saying everyone knows drinking and driving is stupid, so we don’t need a law for it. I would agree with you in many cases because laws that require seat belts or helmets are there to protect yourself, and if you’re not willing to protect yourself, then you’re an idiot. However, in the case of texting, it’s like drinking and driving, all too often the victim is someone else, so I would have to say a law prohibiting it isn’t a bad idea.

      Report Post »  
  • dontbotherme
    Posted on May 2, 2012 at 11:22pm

    That was good. I don‘t think it would affect a teenie bopper’s choice about texting & driving. They believe they are invincible.

    Report Post »  
  • marine249
    Posted on May 2, 2012 at 10:39pm

    how about learning to drive and forget the texting

    Report Post »  

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