[lisa_spyder]

Rika,

The case in NZ?

The boy was texting whilst driving. He was in charge of a motor vehicle; a moving deadly missile. No doubt he is deeply remorseful; but I am not sure that the punishment really fits the 'crime'. He killed someone else because of his actions.

Here in Victoria we now have complex laws in place regarding use of mobiles phones in vehicles. You can't text, you can't use your phone, you can't even pick it up in the car. You can make or receive calls if you are using a fixed handsfree device and don't touch the phone. There is talk of banning mobile phone use altogether in cars as sectors of the community haven't got the message about just how dangerous it is. That won't get off the ground, but I can understand the call for a ban.

I do a lot of driving... sometimes 1000k's in a week. I can pick the drivers on the highway who have their eyes off the road and are using their phones. I try to stay well away from them as they are all over the place at 110kph. Sometimes though I can see they are texting bloody war and peace whilst careening down the hwy at speed. They are putting me and everyone else around them at risk.