Technology to End Texting While Driving

A non-profit organization called the Distracted Driving Foundation has proposed the use of a technology that would, in essence, end technology-based distracted driving.

The foundation was founded on the premise that mobile phone carriers should put technology in all phones that block display-incentive uses of moving phones held by drivers, but not phones that are held by passengers. The foundation is coordinating development and technology with cell phone carriers and handset and automobile manufacturers to make this happen.

The Distracted Driving Foundation wants to get to the root of the problem, and to prevent distracted driving incidents from occurring in the first place. The foundation proposes that the carriers implement anti-distracted driving technologies so that we no longer need to pay police to look into drivers’ windows in order to see what they are doing with their phones. State laws are currently murky – drivers often don’t know whether or not they can text, check email, switch radio stations or read interactive maps. With the use of this new technology, drivers would not have the choice and flexibility because it would be decided for them what is legal and what they are capable of doing.

Text messages would be blocked until the vehicle is stopped, and phone calls would be screened by a voice that says “The person you called appears to be driving. Is this call important or can I take a message?”

Click here to visit the Distracted Driving Foundation website, or contact the founder Jeff Haley: Jeff.Haley@DDFn.org