Distracted driving is a growing problem throughout the world and it’s largely the result of addictive smartphones. Indeed, if you look around at the traffic around you while driving, you’ll no doubt catch countless drivers with their noses buried in a smart device.
Perhaps, if technology caused this problem, it could also be the solution.
Texting-and-driving: A dangerous, unlawful activity
What are these drivers doing in their smartphones that is so important? Probably they are browsing through Instagram, looking at their friends’ Facebook posts or sending non-essential messages to their friends and family: all things that could wait until later. The problem is, smartphones are so addictive that many drivers can’t resist taking a peak while they’re behind the wheel, and this has caused numerous deaths and catastrophic injuries as a result of distracted driving.
Could the application of new technology reduce instances of distracted driving?
Perhaps we should ask the following question about distracted driving: If technology has caused this dangerous trend, could it also put a stop to it? Here are three technologies that have the capacity to end distracted driving once and for all:
Autonomous vehicles: We’re a long way off from being able to jump in our vehicle, tell the autopilot where to go and then take a snooze while heading to our destination. However, once more sophisticated autonomous vehicle tech becomes commonplace, distracted driving will be a thing of the past. It doesn’t matter what the vehicle occupants do, the computer at the helm will get them from A to B.
Smartphone “Do Not Disturb While Driving” modes: Apple phones and other smartphones offer special driving modes that prevent any use of smartphones while a car is rolling. These features turn off incoming notifications when the phone senses that it’s in motion or when it connects to a vehicle’s Bluetooth.
The “Textalyzer”: The “Textalyzer” is a special device that law enforcement can use to check whether a driver was texting and/or using his or her smartphone at the time a vehicle collision occurred. Much like a Breathalyzer device checks to see if a motorist was drinking and driving, the “Textalyzer” checks to see if the driver was texting and driving.
Victims of distracted driving are on the right side of the law
No matter how it occurs, distracted driving is unlawful and drivers who cause injuries and other damages because they were distracted and not paying attention to the road could be liable to pay financial damages. If you were hurt in a distracted driving collision — due to no fault of your own — learn more about your legal rights and options now.
