XPost: misc.phone.mobile.iphone, comp.mobile.android   
   From: rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com   
      
   Paul M. Cook  wrote   
   > Rod Speed wrote   
      
   >> Yes, but you don’t even have to report all accidents to the   
   >> cops here anymore, so those stats just aren't available even   
   >> if there was some way to separate the accidents which had   
   >> been caused by using the phone while driving from those   
   >> where that wasn’t happening in any of the cars involved.   
      
   > Here, in California, by law, you must report any accident   
   > that has something like $700 damage (last I checked).   
      
   So lots of the minor carpark scrapes don’t legally have to be   
   reported, and plenty that the law does require to be reported   
   aren't, because only the culprit is around at the time it happens.   
      
   > That means if *either* party (it doesn't matter whose car!)   
   > doesn't report the accident, there is a penalty (I don't   
   > know how high).   
      
   But very difficult to convict, particularly with carpark   
   scrapes where only the culprit is present when it happens.   
      
   I bet even those who do get scraped and are lucky enough   
   to have dash cams that allow them to work out who did it   
   don’t actually see the cops fine the culprit when the dash   
   cam owner reports that accident to the cops.   
      
   > Besides, all accidents that require insurance are reported,   
      
   But those reports aren't necessarily used by the US Census Bureau.   
      
   > just as all accidents that require police are reported.   
      
   Yes, but those are only a very small subset of the total accidents.   
      
   Our wont even attend at all unless one of the cars has   
   to be towed away or there are injuries to individuals.   
      
   > That makes for pretty good numbers.   
      
   Nope, lousy numbers, particularly with the car park scrapes   
   that are due to fools talking on their cellphones when parking.   
      
   > Those number are a *lot* better than the purported "cellphone   
   > involved" numbers, which, we can all agree, are heinously   
   > inaccurate.   
      
   I don’t agree with the more trivial accidents that don’t need to be   
   reported.   
      
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