Distracted driving is a daily menace in America. Last year alone, the carnage included 5,474 deaths and 450,000 injuries in motor vehicle accidents linked to driver distractions.
To be sure, cell phone conversations and text-messaging are not the only forms of distraction. Personal grooming, eating and CD-changing are among the others. But texting while driving can be particularly distracting. Indeed, there is research indicating that it may be even more dangerous than drunk driving.
Not surprisingly, then, states are experimenting with various types of texting restrictions. Wisconsin joined the ranks of these states on December 1. Drivers caught writing or sending texts can be fined up to $400.
Role of Text-Blocking Technology
As the law attempts to address the dangers posed by new technology, efforts are also underway to use technology itself to reduce or eliminate those dangers. One such effort involves text-blocking technology, which may make it possible to prevent cell phones from working while a motor vehicle is in motion.
This emerging technology was discussed at the Distracted Driving Summit in Washington, D.C. last fall. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood has said that his department is assessing the evidence on the effectiveness of the technology and its role in reducing car accidents.
A Wisconsin engineer named John Looby is one of the inventors and product developers at the forefront of the text-blocking movement. Looby is a 42-year-old electronics engineer who has developed a prototype text-blocking application. It plugs into a vehicle's below-dash diagnostics port and uses a wireless signal to prevent texting, as well as phoning, while the car is moving. Looby points out that his device is far less expensive and easier to use than two now-standard safety features: seat belts and air bags.
Competing Text-Blocking Applications
Looby's prototype is one of several text-blocking applications on the market. Ford Motor Co. offered a "Do Not Disturb" feature on two of its 2011 models. Ford's system mutes the cell-phone ringer and automatically sends messages - both voice and text - into a queue. There are also smart-phone applications such as txtBlocker that rely on GPS navigational technology to monitor the speed at which the phone is moving, and close down the capacity for texting when certain speeds are reached.
Which of these systems may end up making the greatest contribution to reducing distracted driving accidents remains to be seen. No system is perfect. The developers of txtBlocker, for example, acknowledge that using GPS technology to disable phones can be too intrusive when the phone's user is riding on public transportation or as a passenger in a car.
Looby's text-blocking device is not yet patented, but he has filed a patent application. He has also formed a start-up company, Tomahawk Business Systems LLC, and begun approaching car and head-set manufacturers about licensing his technology. His pitch is that he is the first to integrate cell phones with a car's built-in diagnostic system by using wireless.
Conclusion
Even as text-blocking becomes more widely used, it's important to remember that taking personal responsibility for safety remains crucial. As Secretary LaHood has pointed out, safety involves an interaction of effective law enforcement, appropriate technology, and a commitment to using common sense out there on the road.
