Legality/Morality of Watching TV While Driving?

I think this was from Car Talk. I did it and it works great.

 

I remember seeing (this was back in the days before LCD screens) a picture of a car radio that had a tiny TV screen. The screen turned off while the car was in motion, but the audio continued.

 

I'm curious to know the age of the people who think having a TV in the car where the driver can see it is a good idea. After reading threads by some other posters, the stereotype of it being young males who "pimp their rides" seems reinforced. Why buy a practical, gas saving vehicle if you're just going to add so much stuff to it and drive it in such a way that you don't get the good gas mileage you supposedly paid for? Is a Prius with larger wheels, shiny hubcaps, low riding, tinted windows, and paint detailing a chick magnet?

 

Well I do have my mirrors adjusted correctly to eliminate blind spots but I guess what I meant to say was I still look around my car just to make sure everything is clear.

 

That's odd, since I've nearly been crushed by several of those so called "focused" cell phone drivers.

My good friends (a dear couple) were killed a little over a year ago by another "focused" cell phone user. They were killed when driving home on a very straight section of interstate less then 5 miles from home. After being struck from a cell phone using "driver" coming from the left lane, their car rolled several times over a hill. They were both wearing their seatbelts, but it just wasn't enough. The cell phone driver was unhurt, but is still facing jail. Yet another life ruined .... and for what?

Please take your irresponsibility off the highways before you kill someone. You want to risk the lives of the innocent so that you can do what .... watch Springer, or gab on the phone?

How very, very kind of you.

... Brad

 

Check your local laws. In most states it's illegal to have video in view of the person operating the vehicle, if the vehicle is moving. There are generally exceptions to this if the display aids in operation of the vehicle, such as navigation, rear or side view cameras, and vehicle status information.

I used to work in a car stereo shop and performed several monitor installations. It was shop policy to only do the install if there was someway to kill the tv/dvd video (in view of the driver) while the vehicle was in motion. Generally this involved making a connection to either the park brake or the gear selector and only allowing tv/dvd if the car was in park or the parking brake set.

The monitor in the Prius is located fairly high up on the dash. It would be easy for other drivers (even the ones with lights on the top of their cars) to see what's on the display.

 

Until the car can drive itself, NO you should not WATCH TV or any video while driving. Even in traffic or at stop lights you should be paying attention to the road IMO.

Listening is probably no more distracting than radio IMO, so OK listen. If passengers want to watch, fine. If that means screen is visible to driver, thats OK IMO if driver can maintain attention to road.

If your video is such that it only requires a careful quick occasional glance, like for the MFD, I think that's OK too, if you are extra careful. Extra careful applies to the MFD too.

None of this should be mandated by law IMO, except as a general "unsafe driving" regulation. Should also apply to those who shave or apply lipstick or eat and drink, or use cell-phone or have "intimate moments" in the car while driving. I'm not saying you shouldn't drink coffee while driving, but if you do it "unsafely" then you should be chargeable with "unsafe driving" IMO. Too bad courts and cops have problems with such fuzzy laws.

 

The only thing I can say is some people can multitask and some cant.

Some people just cant multitask at all and know it.

Some people think they can multitask but cant. These are the people that are dangerous.

Some people can multitask and keep focused on higher priorities such as driving.

 

This is just plain stupid,, I have already noticed how distracting the MFD is while trying to watch the mileage and energy consumption. So I only glance at it during stops but never while driving. This whole idea of watching T.V. while driving is just crazy and insane, and is right up there with texting while driving and talking on the cell phone without a bluetooth while driving.

Maybe if 110% of our attention was focused on the road in front of us there would not be as many accidents as there are today. Watching T.V. while driving is just got to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard of. :yell::yell:

 

Exactly. Except I think that there are no true group 3 people. Those are people who are fooling themselves into a false sense of security.

And how do you propose to keep group 2 from multitasking? How do you propose to filter the group 3 people as they lose the ability to multitask and focus on higher priorities?

Most laws are enacted because a few people thought they could do something that hurt someone physically, emotionally or financially. The easiest way to stop group 2 is to outlaw watching tv while driving.

 

I think the legal question is pretty clear. For my state of Arizona:

My point is that it's a lot of work and expense to get video to the front seat. If you're legitimately going to be watching the road 99.9% of the time, that .1% of viewing time doesn't seem worth it. You could just get the audio via a TV-band radio or via a satellite channel (Sirius carries Fox News and CNN).

I think what's really going on is that someone who wants a TV is going to be watching it a lot more than .1% of the time, but doesn't want to admit this.

 

Page 49 of the Virginia Driver's Manual:

It's unlawful to watch television, a motion picture or similar video display while driving. Television monitors must not be placed within the driver's view.

 

not according to a leading researcher on brain development. he states that no one can multi-task. we can only focus on one thing at a time. granted there are times it seems like we can, especially when one of the things is a "practiced motor skill" like driving, etc...but in reality, its been proven that our brain's attention can really only focus on one thing at a time.

 

Legally it looks like Arizona and Virginia are out.

To add a few more to the list.

California Vehicle Code Division 12, chapter 5, article 5, section 27602:
(a) A person may not drive a motor vehicle if a television receiver, a video monitor, or a television or video screen, or any other, similar means of visually displaying a television broadcast or video signal that produces entertainment or business applications, is operating and is located in the motor vehicle at any point forward of the back of the driver's seat, or is operating and visible to the driver while driving the motor vehicle...

Mich. Comp. Laws Section 257.708b:
(1) A person shall not equip or operate a motor vehicle that is to be used upon the highways of this state with a television viewer, screen, or other means of visually receiving a television or video broadcast which can be viewed by or reflected to the driver...

New York vehicle and traffic law, section 375, subdivision 24:
(A) It shall be unlawful to operate upon any public highway in this state a motor vehicle which is equipped with a television receiving set, A VIDEO RECEIVER, PORTABLE COMPUTER OR ANY OTHER TECHNOLOGICAL MEANS OF CREATING A VISUAL DISPLAY within view of the operator {or in which a television receiving set is in operation within the view of the operator}...

Tennessee 59-9-105:
(a) A person shall not operate a motor vehicle with a television receiver, a video monitor, or a television or video screen capable of displaying a television broadcast or video signal that produces entertainment or business applications,
if such receiver, monitor or screen is intended to display images visible to the driver in a normal position when the vehicle is in motion...

New Mexico motor vehicle code:
A. Except as provided in Subsection C, a person shall not operate a motor vehicle on any street or highway in this state while a video receiver, viewer, screen, monitor or source of television or video signal, broadcast or recorded entertainment or business application is visible to the person operating the motor vehicle, whether such device is permanently or temporarily installed...

Oregon ORS 815.240:
[(1)] (2) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, a person commits the offense of unlawful use of [vehicle television equipment] an image display device if the person drives or moves on any highway, or owns and causes or knowingly permits to be driven or moved on any highway, any motor vehicle equipped with any [television viewer, screen or other means of visually receiving a television broadcast that is any of the following:]...

Indiana IC 9-19-17-1:
Television screen visible to driver
Sec. 1. A person may not:
(1) own a motor vehicle; or
(2) operate upon a highway a motor vehicle;
that has a television set installed so that the screen of the television set can be seen by a person sitting in the driver's seat.

Utah section 256 41-6-154.20:
No person shall operate or have upon any street any motor vehicle which is equipped or provided with a television so placed that it can be operated, used or observed by the driver of such motor vehicle...


I'm sure there are more. These are just the first few that came up on a Google search. Be sure to do your own research for your local area. The up high placement of the Prius monitor makes it difficult to hide.

 

I agree with the camera for blind spots although my husband uses FortheGlory's method. I never felt comfortable with that method; would rather have cameras to take a quick look cause I think looking over your shoulder takes your eyes off what U R supposed to be doing.

 

Here is a good state by state summary from the National Conference of State Legislatures. I found it here:

Appendix B. State Laws Regarding Televisions and Video Monitors

State/Jurisdiction
Restriction​

Alabama
No television can be visible to the driver.
Alaska
No television can be visible to the driver.
Navigation equipment is allowed.
Arizona
No television screen or any other means of receiving a television broadcast can be forward of the driver's seat or visible to the driver.
Arkansas
None.
California
No television receiver, video monitor or a television video screen, or any other similar means of usually displaying a television broadcast can be located in the vehicle at any point forward of the back of the driver's seat.
Colorado
None.
Connecticut
No television screen or other device of a similar nature, except a video display unit used for instrumentation purposes, can be visible to driver or interfere with the safe operation of the vehicle.
Delaware
None.
Florida
No television-type receiving equipment can be visible to the driver.
Georgia
None.
Hawaii
None.
Idaho
None.
Illinois
Prohibits visual media technology other than navigational systems from being located at any point in a motor vehicle visible to the driver. No television broadcast receiver can be visible to driver.
Indiana
A person may not operate a motor vehicle that has a television set installed in a manner that allows the driver to see the television set while operating the vehicle.
Iowa
None.
Kansas
No television-type receiving equipment screen can be visible to the driver. Navigation systems are allowed.
Kentucky
None.
Louisiana
Drivers cannot operate a motor vehicle with a television capable of receiving any prerecorded visual presentation unless the TV is behind the driver’s seat or not visible to the driver while he or she is operating the vehicle. Retailers may not install a television set at any point forward of the back of the driver’s seat.
Maine
No television viewer or screen can be visible to the driver.
Maryland
No television-type receiving equipment can be installed in front of the back of the driver's seat and cannot otherwise be visible to driver. Navigation systems are allowed.
Massachusetts
No television viewer, screen or other means of visually receiving a television broadcast can be installed forward of the back of the driver's seat or otherwise visible to the driver.
Michigan
Televisions visible to drivers are prohibited in motor vehicles.
Minnesota
No television or television-type equipment can be visible to the driver. Navigation systems are allowed. Closed circuit video systems that help a driver's rear or side visibility are allowed.
Mississippi
None.
Missouri
None.
Montana
None.
Nebraska
No television can be visible to the driver.
Nevada
No television-type receiving equipment can be visible to the driver. Television-type receiving equipment can be visible to the driver if used for safety, law enforcement or navigation.
New Hampshire
No television viewer, screen, or other means of visually receiving a television broadcast can be located at any point forward of the back of the driver's seat or otherwise visible to the driver.
New Jersey
No television set can be visible to the driver.
New Mexico
No television screen can be visible to the driver unless used as an aid to the driver in operating the vehicle.
New York
No television receiving set visible to driver unless closed-circuit television receiving equipment used for safety and navigation purposes.
North Carolina
No television screen or other means of visually receiving a television broadcast can be located at any point forward of the driver's seat or otherwise visible to the driver.
North Dakota
None.
Ohio
None.
Oklahoma
It is unlawful to install a television set in any location where it is visible to the driver.
Oregon
No television viewer, screen or other means of visually receiving a television broadcast can be located at any point forward of the back of the driver's seat or otherwise visible to the driver.
Pennsylvania
No television or television-type equipment can be visible to the driver. Navigation systems are allowed.
Rhode Island
No television viewer, screen, or other means of visually receiving a television broadcast can be visible to the driver.
South Carolina
No television screen can be visible to the driver.
South Dakota
No television screen can be visible to the driver.
Tennessee
No television screen or device of a similar nature can be visible to the driver. Display of obscene videos is prohibited.
Texas
No video-receiving equipment, including a television or similar equipment, can be visible to the driver. Navigation systems are allowed. Digital systems used for commercial purposes are allowed.
Utah
No television-type receiving equipment can be visible to the driver. Does not apply to law enforcement or safety use as approved by the DMV. Navigation systems are allowed.
Vermont
No television receiver, screen, or other means of visually receiving a television broadcast can be visible to the driver.
Virginia
No television receiver can be visible to driver. Video or motion pictures cannot be displayed in front of the driver's seat or within view of the driver. Display of obscene videos is prohibited.
Washington
No television viewer, screen, or other means of visually receiving a television broadcast can be forward of the back of the driver's seat or otherwise visible to the driver.
West Virginia
No television receiver can be visible to the driver.
Wisconsin
No device for visually receiving a television broadcast can be forward of the back of the driver's seat or visible to the driver.
Wyoming
No television-type receiving equipment can be visible to the driver unless used for safety, law enforcement or navigation.
American Samoa
None.
District of Columbia
No television equipment can be visible to the driver.
Guam
None.
Puerto Rico
No television may be located in a vehicle so that it is visible to the driver.
Virgin Islands
None.

Of course this is for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. This is from 2005 so it may be outdated. As always do your own research.

 

To all of those who think they can multitask while driving I say you're not thinking straight. Someone on this thread asked the question, in effect "How do you know you're a successful multi-tasker?" I picture a a group of cars behind them in ditches, wrapped around trees, crashing into each other and, a bunch of folks really not happy with being cut off or whatever. But the multi-tasker made it home with a smile on the face because the spouse was able to determine what size jar of peanut butter to get.
This sounds bitter and I'm not really - just the thread I'm following. But I do wonder how a TV even became a possibility. A year or so ago, I was taking a long drive and thought it would be a good idea to get an audio dvd of a popular book. I had to turn it off as I found it difficult, at best, to follow the plot line and characters and pay attention to the road. Some may say that's just me and they may be right. Who knows? But how do you really know that you could handle sound and a visual at the same time?

 

First, I think it's ridiculous to watch TV while driving. You could kill someone for pete's sake. This isn't rocket science. Yes, you could also kill someone by talking on the cell phone or wearing a blindfold, but those aren't arguments.

However, I think CA law goes too far. People should be allowed to have front TVs so long as they are not driving. If the temptation is too much for some, a kill switch could be required. Personally, I love to chill in my parked Prius with the windows down and the music up.

 

Let me guess, U don't drive even 1 mph over the speed limit? While I usually tend to use cruise control to maintain the proper speed limit, I have not typically driven more the 5 mph. Don't ask the question UNLESS U R not guilty yourself. The tv thing is even more dangerous than driving 1 mph over the speed limit.