What is it with all the distracted driver lately.

[Gator6x4]

I would be interested to know the accident rate for cops playing with their computers, phones and radios while driving their cruisers. Also would be interested to know the conviction/punishment rate for cops killing citizens in unnecessary chases leading to accidents.

If those kinds of statistics interest you why didn’t you do a search for the information?


“There isn't a specific, isolated "distracted driving accident rate" for law enforcement; however, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that for all police-reported crashes, distraction was a factor in approximately 11% of all crashes, 13% of fatal crashes, and 13% of injury crashes in 2023. Law enforcement officers are not immune to these risks and face the same dangers of distracted driving, both from their own actions and from other distracted drivers on the road.“

 

[Gator6x4]

Also, the law went into effect 6/5/2025, but they are only going to give warnings (no tickets) until 6/5/2026.
I wonder how many people will get killed or maimed over the next 365 days ....

Let’s hope it is not like murder. Laws have been on the books for years for that and the rate increases every year.

The first recorded arrest for murder was, John Billington. He was arrested in 1630, and subsequently hanged for the murder of John Newcomen in the Plymouth Colony.

 

[RB5]

Nah, you just contract out the traffic cams and let them keep a % of the take.
Locally, you get a choice a) pay the ticket b) pay the ticket as owner c) Have the vehicle registration suspended until you pay
Truly a fair system that doesn't violate your "due process" rights

That's all great until you get stuck in traffic where you can't get out of the intersection and a red light camera snaps your pic and sends you a notice to pay a fine. There was an intersection at the freeway underpass that I saw this happening every time I went through there. I eventually quit driving through that area on my way to work and stopped spending money in that city after I got a ticket. If you don't sign in and acknowledge the ticket they can't enforce it. I did not pay the fine. There were a lot of places that had red light cameras here. I think most of them have been taken down after much legal wrangling. Some cities were even caught shortening the yellow light time slightly to get more revenue.

 

[RB5]

If those kinds of statistics interest you why didn’t you do a search for the information?


“There isn't a specific, isolated "distracted driving accident rate" for law enforcement; however, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that for all police-reported crashes, distraction was a factor in approximately 11% of all crashes, 13% of fatal crashes, and 13% of injury crashes in 2023. Law enforcement officers are not immune to these risks and face the same dangers of distracted driving, both from their own actions and from other distracted drivers on the road.“

As far as the cops go I had a stretch where I was almost hit by the same one twice in the same area of town in just a couple weeks. No flashing lights... I pull out to turn left and he changed lanes and was going way over the speed limit and almost hit me. I saw him in time and got out of the way. The other time he passed me and cut in the turn lane in front of me and slowed way down to turn. I almost rear ended him. No lights. Police department made excuses for the idiot.
Another time I was exiting the freeway on the way home from 2nd shift at work. It was almost 1AM with no traffic. The frontage road was 2 lanes, and I started to get over to the right lane because I needed to turn a little ways down. I happened to see a headlight in my side mirror and got back over just in time to avoid being rear ended by a cop car that was traveling much faster than the speed limit. My guess is 80 plus because of how fast he came up behind me. Again no flashing lights and no siren. I was in an 82 Ford van with a heavy step bumper on the back. His sedan would have likely been destroyed had he hit me. I was lucky that time.

 

[kenmbz]

That's all great until you get stuck in traffic where you can't get out of the intersection and a red light camera snaps your pic and sends you a notice to pay a fine. There was an intersection at the freeway underpass that I saw this happening every time I went through there. I eventually quit driving through that area on my way to work and stopped spending money in that city after I got a ticket. If you don't sign in and acknowledge the ticket they can't enforce it. I did not pay the fine. There were a lot of places that had red light cameras here. I think most of them have been taken down after much legal wrangling. Some cities were even caught shortening the yellow light time slightly to get more revenue.

I worked for a water company in NJ for a few years.
One of their police escorted Backhoe's fixing a water main at a closed off intersection got 72 Red light camera tickets, all sent by the Camera company and not the police (which in itself was illegal in NJ).

One of the many instances that helped get them kicked out.

Another was one at an intersection where the hospital emergency entrance was located.
One guy fought the ticket as he was literally having a heart attack when he went through the , what he thought, was a yellow light.
Ends up all the yellows in that town with cameras were shorter than ones without.

Then the camera company had some execs arrested for kickbacks in California, but NJ declined to join the suit against them to get money back, wonder why

We only have them here in PA around work sites and a few high accident areas. I have only seen one so far and it was marked pretty well.
Now they are talking more and more about speed cameras, more taxation.

Wonder how many people lock up their brakes at a yellow light after they have gotten their first red light camera ticket?

 

[RB5]

I worked for a water company in NJ for a few years.
One of their police escorted Backhoe's fixing a water main at a closed off intersection got 72 Red light camera tickets, all sent by the Camera company and not the police (which in itself was illegal in NJ).

One of the many instances that helped get them kicked out.

Another was one at an intersection where the hospital emergency entrance was located.
One guy fought the ticket as he was literally having a heart attack when he went through the , what he thought, was a yellow light.
Ends up all the yellows in that town with cameras were shorter than ones without.

Then the camera company had some execs arrested for kickbacks in California, but NJ declined to join the suit against them to get money back, wonder why

We only have them here in PA around work sites and a few high accident areas. I have only seen one so far and it was marked pretty well.
Now they are talking more and more about speed cameras, more taxation.

Wonder how many people lock up their brakes at a yellow light after they have gotten their first red light camera ticket?

That line about the backhoe made me laugh hard. Thanks...

 

[Runner]

If those kinds of statistics interest you why didn’t you do a search for the information?


“There isn't a specific, isolated "distracted driving accident rate" for law enforcement; however, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that for all police-reported crashes, distraction was a factor in approximately 11% of all crashes, 13% of fatal crashes, and 13% of injury crashes in 2023. Law enforcement officers are not immune to these risks and face the same dangers of distracted driving, both from their own actions and from other distracted drivers on the road.“

Exactly. But the question is, are they held accountable, like they want to do to you? My guess is no.

 

[Runner]

I worked for a water company in NJ for a few years.
One of their police escorted Backhoe's fixing a water main at a closed off intersection got 72 Red light camera tickets, all sent by the Camera company and not the police (which in itself was illegal in NJ).

One of the many instances that helped get them kicked out.

Another was one at an intersection where the hospital emergency entrance was located.
One guy fought the ticket as he was literally having a heart attack when he went through the , what he thought, was a yellow light.
Ends up all the yellows in that town with cameras were shorter than ones without.

Then the camera company had some execs arrested for kickbacks in California, but NJ declined to join the suit against them to get money back, wonder why

We only have them here in PA around work sites and a few high accident areas. I have only seen one so far and it was marked pretty well.
Now they are talking more and more about speed cameras, more taxation.

Wonder how many people lock up their brakes at a yellow light after they have gotten their first red light camera ticket?

I worked for a water company in NJ for a few years.
One of their police escorted Backhoe's fixing a water main at a closed off intersection got 72 Red light camera tickets, all sent by the Camera company and not the police (which in itself was illegal in NJ).

One of the many instances that helped get them kicked out.

Another was one at an intersection where the hospital emergency entrance was located.
One guy fought the ticket as he was literally having a heart attack when he went through the , what he thought, was a yellow light.
Ends up all the yellows in that town with cameras were shorter than ones without.

Then the camera company had some execs arrested for kickbacks in California, but NJ declined to join the suit against them to get money back, wonder why

We only have them here in PA around work sites and a few high accident areas. I have only seen one so far and it was marked pretty well.
Now they are talking more and more about speed cameras, more taxation.

Wonder how many people lock up their brakes at a yellow light after they have gotten their first red light camera ticket?

That's what happened here. They designed a freeway with stop lights (real smart) then, put up red light cameras to deal with all the people who couldn't stop in time. After that, the rear-end collision rate on that road went through the roof. Eventually, the cameras were determined to be unconstitutional and abandoned in place.(of course, they left them there along with the signage to scare the drivers).

 

[Gator6x4]

Exactly. But the question is, are they held accountable, like they want to do to you? My guess is no.

My guess is yes. They also have employment terminated. Civil liabilities are something Governmental Entities are very cognitive off.

 

[rontaki]

That's what happened here. They designed a freeway with stop lights (real smart) then, put up red light cameras to deal with all the people who couldn't stop in time. After that, the rear-end collision rate on that road went through the roof. Eventually, the cameras were determined to be unconstitutional and abandoned in place.(of course, they left them there along with the signage to scare the drivers).

And we wonder why respect for the law and it's enforcers is rapidly declining. . .