Press-Republican

FYI...

Related Photos

  • stock photo / sqback

    1307593_87254838.jpg

Discussion

IMPORTANT: Comments that include a personal attack on other commenters will be deleted in their entirety. Your comments are not welcome here if you can't maintain a civil tone.

PLEASE NOTE: There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

ALSO NOTE: Derisive name-calling of an individual or group will result in the entire comment being deleted. This includes the terms "stupid" and "idiot" and similar references.

Welcome to our new online comments feature. Before you can join the discussion, you must first register with Disqus and verify your email address.

Once you do, your comments will post after they have been reviewed by a moderator.

We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean.

Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified, at the newspaper’s discretion, for a number of reasons. Here are some typical practices to avoid in trying to get your comment printed:

There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

Don’t state as a fact something that is unsubstantiated or that our editors wouldn't know to be true.

Don’t presume someone’s guilt in a case when it hasn't been established by a court.

Don’t assail or impugn an identifiable individual or group. If you have that kind of criticism, sign your name and submit it as a Letter to the Editor. (There is some leeway on this in connection with public officials, but it is not unconditional.)

Don’t use profanity. This includes the term “tea bagger.”

Don’t be incendiary or tasteless. Those qualities are subjective, of course, and our editors will be the arbiters.

Do not identify yourself in the main content area of the article content form. Only by enforcing this rule can the moderators prevent unscrupulous commenters from falsely identifying themselves as someone they are not.

Don't type in all caps. It is considered the Internet equivalent of shouting.

In sports articles, do not criticize officiating.

Remember, moderators are not allowed to edit any article comments. If an article comment fails any of the above criteria, the entire comment will be deleted.

We monitor comments Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Approval of comments outside these times may be delayed.
comments powered by Disqus
September 5, 2012

Teens' 'designated texter' takes seat next to driver

By Ashley Halsey III The Washington Post

WASHINGTON — After growing up during a campaign against drunken driving, many teenagers say they've embraced the notion of a designated driver. Coming of age amid condemnation of distracted driving, some say they use a "designated texter" when driving with friends.

Despite that, a new study shows that about a third of them admit to sending and reading text messages while behind the wheel. The report was consistent with federal research this year, which showed that teens and drivers under the age of 25 are much more likely to text than older drivers.

Crashes are the leading cause of teenage deaths, and teens are more likely to die in them than any age group other than those over 80.

The good news in a report released Tuesday by Bloomington, Ill.-based State Farm Insurance was a greater awareness among teenagers of the risk posed by using mobile devices to text or talk while driving.

"It was very promising to see so many teens voice their concerns about this issue and see that the drivers listened to them and took action," said research director Chris Mullen. "Research tells us that texting while driving can be just as dangerous as drinking and driving. More education and conversations need to occur so teens understand that no one can handle driving distracted."

A federal survey done in December found that 11 percent of drivers age 18 to 20 said they were sending or receiving text messages when they crashed. But the federal report also discovered that drivers in that age group were more likely to recognize the risk than those age 21 to 24.

The new State Farm survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, found that four out of five teen passengers said they scolded a driver for texting. One Pennsylvania teen, Navea Frazier, told the insurance carrier: "When I'm in a car with my friends or family, I say, 'Hey, don't do that. I'll text for you.' I'm the designated texter."

Use of cellphones by novice drivers has been banned in 31 states. But distracted driving was cited as a possible factor this year when preliminary data showed that teen highway deaths appeared to be creeping up after years of decline.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and the National Transportation Safety Board are pushing for laws against texting and cellphone use while driving. But state lawmakers have moved cautiously for fear of voter backlash.

The National Safety Council has estimated that a quarter of all crashes are the result of distracted driving.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
FYI...
  • asteroid-nasa.jpg White House, NASA want help hunting asteroids

    The White House and NASA on Tuesday will ask the public for help finding asteroids that potentially could slam into the Earth with catastrophic consequences.

    June 19, 2013 1 Photo

  • FACES164.jpg State photo-ID databases become troves for police

    The faces of more than 120 million people are in searchable photo databases that state officials assembled to prevent driver's-license fraud but that increasingly are used by police to identify suspects, accomplices and even innocent bystanders in a wide range of criminal investigations.

    June 18, 2013 3 Photos

  • When is a nightgown appropriate in the office?

    Who among us hasn't wondered if pajama pants are OK in the winter? What about clingy, see-through blouses for spring? And now that it's almost summer, what about nightgowns? Specifically, what about midthigh-length, straw-colored cotton nightgowns at work?

    June 17, 2013

  • doortodoor-market-box.jpg Consumers' desire for local, organic food drives online grocery business

    Just a few years ago, consumers who were fervent about eating locally-grown and organic foods had to head out to the nearest Whole Foods or farmers market. Now all it takes is a few swipes of the mouse at an online grocer like Door to Door Organics, Relay Foods or AmazonFresh.

    June 16, 2013 1 Photo

  • PARKS FOOD9.jpg National parks to offer healthier food under new standards

    The consumption of rubbery hot dogs and cellophane-wrapped sandwiches of indeterminate age is a time-honored rite of passage for generations of families making the trek to national parks around the country.

    June 15, 2013 1 Photo

  • FILM SUMMER62.jpg Predicting the summer movie sleeper hit

    Every year since, filmgoers and critics try to predict what the next "Little Miss Sunshine" will be.

    June 14, 2013 2 Photos

  • iStock_000008462647XSmall.jpg When did sunscreen get so complicated?

    Summer is almost here, which means it's time for picnics, pool parties, and every parent's favorite pastime: chasing after your kid with the sunscreen bottle. But what's arguably more arduous than slathering lotion onto a screaming 3-year-old is choosing the right sunscreen.

    June 13, 2013 1 Photo

  • cell-phone.jpg How to shield calls, chats, browsing from surveillance

    If you have followed the startling revelations about the scope of the U.S. government's surveillance efforts, you may have thought you were reading about the end of privacy. But even when faced with the most ubiquitous of modern surveillance, there are ways to keep your communications away from prying eyes.

    June 12, 2013 1 Photo

  • lifeguard.jpg Drowning doesn't look like drowning

    Drowning is not the violent, splashing call for help that most people expect. There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind.

    June 11, 2013 1 Photo

  • heart.jpg 4 simple lifestyle changes can protect your heart

    According to a multi-center study led by Johns Hopkins researchers, there is a significant link between lifestyle factors and heart health, adding even more evidence in support of regular exercise, eating a Mediterranean-style diet, keeping a normal weight and -- most importantly -- not smoking.

    June 8, 2013 1 Photo