Technology to Hopefully Help with Distracted Driving

Originally published: October 17, 2017

Updated on: November 30, 2018

With texting while driving becoming an increasingly large problem for drivers and law enforcement officials, advances in technology may be here to help.

Seventy percent of drivers admit to using cell phones despite the risk of crashing, a survey conducted by the AAA Foundation reports. According to the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), 660,000 drivers on U.S. roads are using cell phones each day during daylight hours. If that wasn’t bad enough, 3,477 people were killed and 391,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes that involved distracted drivers in 2015.

Studies show that texting while driving results in drivers being six times more likely to cause a car crash than drunk driving, but that doesn’t mean people are making an effort to stop. In fact, texting while driving continues to be a growing problem. While technology has certainly played a part in this developing issue, people are also hoping that technology can soon be part of the solution.

Developers continue to create cell phone blocking applications, or “apps,” in an attempt to keep drivers focused on the road and not on their phones. These apps prevent drivers from accessing certain phone functions like texting, getting on the internet, or making calls while they are operating a vehicle. Ongoing advancements in these apps can help El Paso parents of teen drivers – and even certain employers – keep their children and employees safe from car crashes caused by texting by:

• Blocking audio features, which may help the driver better focus on the road and not the various audio functions available in their motor vehicle.
• Tracking vehicle speed, which can help bring awareness to drivers who frequently speed from one destination to the next.
• Tracking sudden vehicle stops, which can be seen as a red flag for those who do not pay close attention to the road while behind the wheel.
• Sending texts in a hands-free way so that drivers can remain off their phones while still having the ability to send the text messages they feel they need to send.
• Send e-mail notifications to co-workers and professors to, again, remain hands-free while operating a motor vehicle.

In 2017, Apple released iOS 11, an updated operating system available to those with the iPhone 5s model (or newer), which has many of these advanced cell phone blocking capabilities. The newest feature, Do Not Disturb While Driving, allows users to connect to their vehicle’s Bluetooth and not only block incoming calls, but send a message to someone letting them know that the person is driving and will contact them after he or she has reached the intended destination. Furthermore, Apple reports that even when the iPhone is not connected to the vehicle’s Bluetooth, the phone can sense that it is inside a moving vehicle and will automatically turn on the Do Not Disturb While Driving feature.

With the steady increase in traffic injuries and fatalities in Texas and New Mexico caused by distracted driving, everyone is hoping that these technological advances will end up serving as a big step toward curbing the dangers associated with distracted driving. If you or someone you love has been injured by a distracted driver, Attorney Rob Lovett is here for you. With offices in both El Paso, Texas and Las Cruces, NM, Personal Injury Lawyer Rob Lovett proudly serves the injured residents of both states in their time of need.

For more information on how we can help you get the compensation you deserve for accidents caused by texting while driving, please call Lovett Law Firm, personal injury and accident lawyer in El Paso, TX and Las Cruces, NM today at 915-757-9999 (El Paso, Texas) or 575-523-5555 (Las Cruces, New Mexico) to request a free initial consultation with our experienced accident attorney.