We *can* stop the others now

There are already systems that actively monitor for inattentive driving. The problem, as AScott mentioned, is you need self-driving capabilities to stop the car once it detects the problem. But hey, we've got that technology, just not in all cars yet.

And phones could be made to not work when they're moving more than 25 mph. Sure, that would piss off the passengers, but that's not a technology problem.

But that feels like I'm playing devil's advocate, doesn't it? My real complaint is that drunk driving doesn't require an expensive technical solution. Other countries don't have the problem we do. Our real issue is that we don't take it seriously. Drive drunk once, lose your car and your license. Drive after losing a license for DUI, go to jail. Do that for a year, do it consistently, and behavior will change.

People do drive drunk, but they do so at a much lower rate than elsewhere, and they don't tend to do it twice.

If you kill someone, you're going to be on the hook for "causing death by dangerous driving", which can put you in prison for 14 years as well as incur an unlimited fine. Hell, being what is colloquially called "drunk in charge of a motor vehicle" has the potential for three months' porridge, and that doesn't actually involve driving the car!

https://www.keithmichaels.co.uk/convicted-driver-car-insurance/info/drink-driving-penalties/

But then we've also got a brutally difficult driving test and a lot of automated speed and red light enforcement.

It's instructive to watch "uk bad drivers" dashcam video on youtube, and compare it to, say, a "us bad drivers" video.

The former will have the average American driver going "but they're just driving? what're they honking at?" because it's all people in the wrong lane and/or minor infractions of roundabout etiquette (the bastards), and the American one is all massive smashes as people blaze through red lights.

The UK road accident and fatality is less than half that of the US, by pretty much any metric you care to choose (no, the amount Americans drive doesn't mitigate; y'all suck per vehicle-kilometre too). Most of Scandahoovia is much the same.

Post #439,698 by drook 8/23/21 8:58:03 AM 8/23/21 8:58:03 AM Reply	We can stop the others now There are already systems that actively monitor for inattentive driving. The problem, as AScott mentioned, is you need self-driving capabilities to stop the car once it detects the problem. But hey, we've got that technology, just not in all cars yet. And phones could be made to not work when they're moving more than 25 mph. Sure, that would piss off the passengers, but that's not a technology problem. But that feels like I'm playing devil's advocate, doesn't it? My real complaint is that drunk driving doesn't require an expensive technical solution. Other countries don't have the problem we do. Our real issue is that we don't take it seriously. Drive drunk once, lose your car and your license. Drive after losing a license for DUI, go to jail. Do that for a year, do it consistently, and behavior will change. -- Drew
Post #439,701 by CRConrad 8/23/21 9:48:27 AM 8/23/21 9:48:27 AM Reply	Yeah, sure. So do that TOO.
Post #439,702 by pwhysall 8/23/21 11:39:48 AM 8/23/21 11:39:48 AM Reply	That's how we do it. People do drive drunk, but they do so at a much lower rate than elsewhere, and they don't tend to do it twice. If you kill someone, you're going to be on the hook for "causing death by dangerous driving", which can put you in prison for 14 years as well as incur an unlimited fine. Hell, being what is colloquially called "drunk in charge of a motor vehicle" has the potential for three months' porridge, and that doesn't actually involve driving the car! https://www.keithmichaels.co.uk/convicted-driver-car-insurance/info/drink-driving-penalties/ But then we've also got a brutally difficult driving test and a lot of automated speed and red light enforcement. It's instructive to watch "uk bad drivers" dashcam video on youtube, and compare it to, say, a "us bad drivers" video. The former will have the average American driver going "but they're just driving? what're they honking at?" because it's all people in the wrong lane and/or minor infractions of roundabout etiquette (the bastards), and the American one is all massive smashes as people blaze through red lights. The UK road accident and fatality is less than half that of the US, by pretty much any metric you care to choose (no, the amount Americans drive doesn't mitigate; y'all suck per vehicle-kilometre too). Most of Scandahoovia is much the same.
Post #439,704 by drook 8/23/21 1:19:18 PM 8/23/21 1:19:18 PM Reply	And it puts the cost where it belongs, on the people doing it wrong -- Drew

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