Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Insists It's Not Responsible For Distracted Driving Accidents Involving iPhones

Act3 said:
where? didnt think the law has changed
Click to expand...
There are current suits filed by families of Sandy Hook victims against three gun manufacturers, claiming the manufactureres are liable for the tragedy. The trial dates are set for next April. That's just one of many lawsuits against gun manufacturers.
 
Last edited:
I applaud Apple for doing this, but seriously, people need to pay attention when driving, or walking with their cell phones. Apple is correct here, it is the user's responsibility.

I certainly do not miss the countless stupid idiots who must look at their phone while crossing the street, going down to the subway platforms etc. in Manhattan.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ipedro
It’s the car that’s the weapon, not the phone.

If anything, all cars should come with distracted driving sensors. Some cars already have something like it. They follow the driver’s eyes and alert them if they fall asleep. It can be adapted to look for eyes looking away from the road. Make this mandatory in all cars.

Distracted driving due to smart phone use is far more dangerous than drunk driving because many times more people do it and it’s very hard to police.

It’s the car industry's responsibility to build in safety measures like they did the seatbelt, airbag and crush zones.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kazmac
dannyyankou said:
They’re right. It all comes down to personal responsibility, as it does with most things in life
Click to expand...

Personal responsibility? Are you kidding me? Not in America. It’s not the American way. Shirking personal responsibility and blaming others for your troubles is as American as it gets.
 
It is me said:
There is a current suits filed by families of Sandy Hook victims against three gun manufacturers, claimed NFL they are liable for the tragedy. The trial dates are set for next April. That's just one of many lawsuits against gun manufacturers.
Click to expand...

I thought they got thrown out as law protects gun makers.

Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, passed in 2005, which grants gun companies broad protection from civil lawsuits when their products are misused, like in crimes.

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-109publ92/html/PLAW-109publ92.htm

http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/14/health/sandy-hook-lawsuit-gun-maker/index.html
 
Sharkoneau said:
Another reason why people suck. You can’t legislate bad habits out of people, what the user chooses to do is their choice - for better or worse.
Click to expand...

True, you can't legislate behavior, but you CAN legislate stiff penalties if that behavior harms another person. Unfortunately by that time, the damage is already done.
 
That person is an ass hat. They should take personal accountability for their own actions. What if they stick a pencil up their nose? Is the pencil manufacturer at fault? Its an asinine lawsuit and the judge should not only dismiss it but also fine Julio Ceja for wasting the courts time. $10 million fine should make the jerk think twice before doing it again.
 
Stella said:
The responsibility lies with the motorist. Simple.

But people can't take responsibility for their own poor choices...
Click to expand...

Coldsmoke55 said:
That person is an ass hat. They should take personal accountability for their own actions.
Click to expand...

This case isn't quite like that. The person who is suing made no bad choices, other than being in the path of an idiot driver who thought they needed to play with their phone while driving. Just bad luck, and now they want to get paid for damages that they suffered without any fault of their own.

I heard that in the USA it is enough if some court assigns one percent of the fault to you to become responsible for all damages. Now in this situation, I'd say that Apple is zero percent at fault. Still, the person suing is not _totally_ unreasonable.

Act3 said:
well to be just like, he would have to sue the automobile industry for not having a kill switch if alcohol is detected on driver lol
Click to expand...
"Kill switch" seems a bit drastic. But I think there's a SF short story by Larry Niven, where he predicts the penalty for driving offences is forced organ donation...
 
Act3 said:
I thought they got thrown out as law protects gun makers.

Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, passed in 2005, which grants gun companies broad protection from civil lawsuits when their products are misused, like in crimes.

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-109publ92/html/PLAW-109publ92.htm

http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/14/health/sandy-hook-lawsuit-gun-maker/index.html
Click to expand...

If you would have scrolled down a little more in your Google search, you would have seen that the Connecticut State Supreme Court threw out the lower courts ruling and reinstated the lawsuits.

https://www.rt.com/usa/369036-sandy-hook-gun-manufacturing-lawsuit/
 
Too bad 'Do Not disturb " while driving is an opt in thing in iOS 11. Its not even easy to find in the settings, unless you already know about it
 
ineedamac said:
This is stupid. You cannot blame your iPhone for making you crash your car.
Click to expand...

Not yet, anyway. If Apple ever produces an autonomous driving app that is available through the App Store, then maybe it might convince an American jury, at least. :)

<Soap_Box>Tort reform advocates point to these kinds of cases as the reason we should limit frivolous lawsuits. The primary problem with that is the slippery slope of removing protections that, frankly, encourage manufacturers to make safe products. Limit the ability of people tp protect themselves and you will have people with greater need to protect themselves. It's a slippery slope unless you tie limitations on tort lawsuits to increased penalties for manufacturers if they make unsafe products.</Soap_Box>
 
ackmondual said:
I wouldn't be too sure about the frivolous part. A woman did successfully sue McDonalds because her coffee was too hot and it caused her injury.
Click to expand...

The McDonald's coffee lawsuit was legitimate in my opinion, and I'm glad the plaintiff won. The press used clickbait titles and sensationalist writing. They also left out critical details that would probably change almost everyone's mind if they were presented with those facts.
 
These lawsuits are beyond stupid.

These people want to ruin everything for everyone. So my phone is supposed to lock me out while driving, even if it's say my girlfriend who's the one choosing the music?

Does personal responsibility exist in America any more? Apple should turn round and sue these idiots. Just drag them through the courts until they have no money left.
[doublepost=1503092645][/doublepost]
ActionableMango said:
The McDonald's coffee lawsuit was legitimate in my opinion, and I'm glad the plaintiff won. The press used clickbait titles and sensationalist writing. They also left out critical details that would probably change almost everyone's mind if they were presented with those facts.
Click to expand...

I understand it wasn't as simple as the headlines made out - but that woman was an idiot and really only won because the jury took pity on her after McDonald's lawyers behaved the way they did.
 
Apple knows if they prevent use of the phone while driving they run the risk of losing customers to Samsung, who quite frankly would probably be brazen enough to use it as a marketing tool.
 
Last edited:
Instead of suing Apple, sue the guy that was texting while driving instead. This would make sense because the other driver was negligent and compromised the safety of others. Lazy people don't wanna work anymore and just wanna get that big payout from giant companies to go ahead and live lavishly and blow it all in six months, tops. Then, go out and seek the next "payout".
 
SCOLANATOR said:
These lawsuits are beyond stupid.

These people want to ruin everything for everyone. So my phone is supposed to lock me out while driving, even if it's say my girlfriend who's the one choosing the music?

Does personal responsibility exist in America any more? Apple should turn round and sue these idiots. Just drag them through the courts until they have no money left.
[doublepost=1503092645][/doublepost]

I understand it wasn't as simple as the headlines made out - but that woman was an idiot and really only won because the jury took pity on her after McDonald's lawyers behaved the way they did.
Click to expand...
Not quite, McDonald’s served coffee at insane temperatures not drinkable even by asbestos lined aliens. She was removing the lid not driving or anything dangerous at the time to add milk. McDonald’s was at fault for giving her burning hot scolding liquid not for the actual accident. It had happened to others but McDonald’s had paid them off, the pictures of her injuries are horrific! She only got a small fraction of the settlement amount and was villanised by McDonald’s in the media when only the lawyers got rich from the case. Honestly there is no parallel and the McDonald’s case was entirely legitimate. Note McDonalds don’t service coffee that hot anymore and never should have.
 
ah huh... and that is *why* this feature is now in iOS ."Do not disturb" driving mode.n.
 
lkrupp said:
Personal responsibility? Are you kidding me? Not in America. It’s not the American way. Shirking personal responsibility and blaming others for your troubles is as American as it gets.
Click to expand...

Honestly, I don't think this case has anything to do with responsibility, but the culture of litigation we have here in the good 'ol US of A. I'm sure the person knows he's responsible and that he ****ed up. He's just trying to make a quick buck, along with the lawyers. On his part, there's probably very little risk and cost involved: the lawyers are probably working on contingency. Roll the dice, play the lottery, start a class-action lawsuit -- all the same around here.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back