she had the grades and was a national merit scholar. sad day for her parents.

Parents of teen who died texting and driving: 'Kids think they're invincible' - TODAY People - TODAY.com

It's an awful tragedy for parents to lose children by any manner. One of her messages more or less predicted the future. Pretty clear she never even saw the truck that snuffed out her life.

People simply do not appreciate how quickly things can happen behind the wheel. If you live long enough, you gain that appreciation, just as with many other things in life.

The only thing anyone should be doing behind the wheel of a car is, of course, driving. As you add in any other variable, that changes things immensely. Driving 80 at night on an unlit road is another factor in this particular instance.

Senseless and stupid, and sadly, it's bound to happen again.

Try enforcing laws that prevent drivers from eating while driving; having a dog sitting in your lap while driving; putting on makeup; reading a book; putting your left foot out the window . . . then we can talk about laws giving a ticket to cellphone users and texters.

Driving while tired, and texting to stay awake, while doing 80. I'm thinking a Darwin award nomination is in order.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

The problem isn't enforcement, it is purely number of vehicles on the road versus law enforcement officers on the road.

I'm sure you notice many people breaking laws when no officers are around. Some things like rolling through stop signs, passing on the shoulder, texting, and running a just turned red light are just a few of the violations I see all the time. I can't tell you how many times I said to myself "I wish I had the ability to give all these people tickets."

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2009 ML320 Bluetec
1985 300CD
1981 300TD

Past Mercedes
1979 300TD
1982 300TD
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1998 E430
1984 300SD
1980 300SD

You get passing on the shoulder there? I've never seen it here, though I have thought about doing it myself a time or two.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

I agree that enforcing such laws would be difficult, but the texting while driving thing is an epidemic. Every now and then I see someone with a dog on their lap, makeup, ect, BUT I see people texting on a daily basis multiple times a day.

The level of driver distraction has skyrocketed since cell phones, sure there are other distractions, but trying to control the cell phone distraction epidemic strikes me as a worthwhile cause, however possibly futile. Just people knowing it is illegal might be some kind of deterrent.

In my state, cell usage is still legal in the car, and I don't think Ive seen a single cop in the last 6 months who wasn't on a cell phone. that would have to change locally.

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Time for the George Carlin solution... bring on the darts

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

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Mercedes, a brand known for touting safety, is putting a Facebook app in the Comand system which will be active while the vehicle is in motion.

Apparently, US Drivers Aren't Good at Backing Up Cars Either

4 fatalities a week, most of them kids.

awhile back I was on a two lane road at night going up a hill. Some jerk comes out of nowhere and passes me on the left while going up the hill. Had a semi or tanker trunk been coming the other way, it would have all been over for him. As he passed, I slowed and prepared to pull off hard right in case he met another vehicle coming the opposite way. scary.

Ya'll remember the days MB (and BMW) built cars without cupholders much less any of the other doo dads they got on em now. They were built to drive and cover some distance. It is harder for me to text and drive versus drink and drive so I make it a point to do neither.

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Jim

what if the news channels showed close up photos of the victims on the news? might be a bit disgusting but it also might make a point. hang up the cell phone, stop the texting and DRIVE.

Passing on the shoulder when the car in front of them is turning left is what I see mostly. It is illegal unless there is a dashed passing lane. Although with that said I have seen people literally pass another car on the right should, mainly in traffic which makes it even more idiotic.

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2009 ML320 Bluetec
1985 300CD
1981 300TD

Past Mercedes
1979 300TD
1982 300TD
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1998 E430
1984 300SD
1980 300SD

If the jerk had been texting, s/he likely would have rear-ended you. Your driver was just dumb and taking a chance, but at least s/he was (apparently) paying attention to the road.

Yeah my friend figured out how to text on his G wagons COMMAND system. Totally unsafe.

Texting and driving is a very bad idea, anyone with half a brain can figure that out. Those that can't pay the price.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200