By Andrew Berg
Friday, October 2, 2009
There's been a lot of talk lately about texting while driving. Efforts are under way for more state and local legislation to ban drivers from tapping out texts while behind the wheel. That's a great first step, but really there's nothing guaranteeing that drivers will abide by such legislation.
Because the problem involves technology, namely our obsession with staying connected 24/7, the true fix will be a technological one. If not self-imposed, then implemented at an industry policy level. For example, put standardized software on all cell phones that won't allow text input once the device reaches a certain speed.
The raw technology for such an implementation is already here. While voice recognition software as part of an entirely hands-off cell phone driving experience is one obvious solution, many more exist that could be just as effective.
For example, Aha, a crowd-sourced traffic app for the iPhone, is almost entirely voice driven, allowing users to report real-time traffic conditions in what it calls, "Shouts." Users just shout what they're seeing on the road ahead for others with the app to hear.
But perhaps the most interesting aspect of Aha is the touchscreen interface goes dead once the application reaches 65 mph.
Another solution, and perhaps more to the point, comes in the form of TXTBlocker, a new product announced this week. TXTBlocker allows owners to disable texting and other functions while a user is driving. Users can customize cell phones to selectively disable texting functions, block certain numbers or only permit incoming and outgoing calls to preset "safe lists" or emergency numbers.
It's always a scary thing when technology becomes prohibitive as opposed to enabling. Critics almost invariably cry Big Brother. However, when researchers say that texting, or even making a phone call while driving, is more dangerous than drinking while driving, isn't it inevitable that some controls be put in place?
Some states are already installing breathalyzers on car starters for repeat drunk drivers. Would it be so horrible if cell phone users didn't even have to be tempted with texting while cruising because the feature was disabled in that situation?
The obvious bottom line is that sending a text is not worth the cost of a life. As human beings, we simply can't always be trusted to make the right choice. In the case of texting while driving, we should be glad that there's technology available so that we don't even have to worry about making the wrong decision.