What if I told you that we could end the problem of drivers using cellular phones to talk, text, surf or whatever-is-coming-next RIGHT NOW? Okay, let me rephrase that. I
am telling you we could end the problem right now, or at least start on a path toward that end... but the solution is being held out of reach. Let me explain.
One solution that has been explored to solve the issue of distracted driving (at least for "carry on" devices) is to use some form of technology to prevent drivers from using their phones while the car is moving. There are a bunch of smart phone apps out there right now to do this very thing. (See: "
Your Phone is Locked. Just Drive.")
Unfortunately, there are a variety of issues with these solutions. First, many of these solutions are voluntary. And we know how well people adhere to voluntary behaviors to improve health and safety... "Are you the driver?" one app might ask. "Umm, no I'm not..." (text text text). Some of these solutions are less voluntary, and rely on detecting driver movement to deactivate the phone. However, what if you are a passenger and need to use your phone? Or what if you are on the bus or train and your phone gets bricked by your safety app? Goodbye app! Some apps rely on installing equipment in cars, so they are more vehicle-specific, which is better, but still far from ideal. So, while these apps might work in some cases, they have big flaws.
Enter THE solution: in-vehicle-jamming. Imagine if you could just jam the driver space when the vehicle moved so drivers could not use their phones, but passengers could. Better still, imagine if the system is built into the vehicle so it can't be bypassed, but could be turned off by the driver if the hazard lights were turned on in the event that there was a real emergency that required drivers to use their phones.
It turns out, we aren't really in the realm of imagination at all. This technology exists and is manufactured by a company called
Trinity Noble. But don't get excited yet, dear reader.
Why? Simply put, you can't get it because the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) won't let you have it. The FCC won't even let it be widely tested. Jeremy Chalmers, General Counsel for Trinity-Noble, explains: "The FCC has taken the position that they are prohibited by statute from certifying any 'jamming" device'. The
CTIA has advocated strongly for the FCC to take this position."
And what is
the CTIA? It's the cellular industry advocacy group,"representing its members with policy makers in the Executive Branch, in the Federal Communications Commission and in Congress." Why would the CTIA do such a thing? Trinity-Noble's Chalmers speculated, "I believe they are loath to open Pandora's box and are scared that if in-vehicle-jamming is allowed that will open the door to jammers in movie theaters and libraries...."
My guess? The CTIA lists 2009 wireless revenues at almost
$200 billion dollars. A significant chunk of this revenue is from folks using cell phones in cars. Years ago an industry insider told me that number was near 80%, but lets say it is much less than that now. Even if it were only one-quarter of that now, that is still $40 billion dollars at stake of we jammed away all of those users. So don't get excited about solving the problem any time soon.
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david hays
I hate all car alarms. I will always wear my seatbelt, always have, even before they were standard equipment. If I want to open the door while the car is off to listen to the radio, ding-ding-ding! Stupidest thing ever! Same goes for leaving the lights on and the door open. I know what they are designed for, the idiots who leave their keys in the ignition, or the lights on and get out, of course it doesn't stop idiots like me from tossing the keys in the briefcase and then deciding I don't need it and leave it behind and locking the doors with the keys inside. My daughter did something similar recently tossed them on the seat and didn't get them picked up and locked the doors with the keys inside. No idiot alarms can help in those cases. My father suggested I keep a key in my billfold for such cases, but nowadays one cannot get a metal copy of a secure key, the standard places won't do it. A nonprogrammed key is $25 or more. I guess they need to bring back the separate door key and ignition key that GM used to have. I have no way to bypass the alarms. I want to pull the fuse on all of them, except I don't know where it is. I don't always drive with two hands on the wheel, it is very tiring. Sometimes you just have to rest an arm, or flex it to keep the blood flowing. NO MORE IDIOT ALARMS, please! I rarely use my phone while driving, but if I get a call from my wife, I will answer it. Or, if I am leaving work and am still in the parking lot, I will call her and tell her I am leaving, so she knows when to expect me home. Distracted driving--radio/cd player, heater/AC, little children, other passengers, other items such as GPS, radar detectors.... spilled drinks, one that did cause me to have a crash--picking up a piece of paper on the passenger side while driving. Some guy ran into the back of my car while trying to retrieve a cigarette that he had dropped. I like to post gasoline prices online, so I have to write them somewhere and I do not stop at each station, to do so--distracted driving. Don't even ask what my wife and I used to do while driving long before cellular telephones. (One hand on wheel) Which brings up the center console that cannot be moved, how can two people sit close when that thing is in the way? My pickup has a moveable one. You can't legislate common sense, or protect us from all hazards.
Garreth Deb iegun
What about hands free options...could these devices maybe allow you to bypass and talk on the phone if you are using a hands free device?
Irv1911A1
Hands free is still distracted driving. Just watch other drivers as they chat away on their Blue Tooth devices and tailgate while doing 70+ mph. I see it every time I am on the highway. I am all for having some form of "jamming" of all communication devices in a moving vehicle. The human race survived for years without having to be constantly in contact with others 24 hours a day. For years people would drive to work, or travel by car for hours at a time without communication devices. We managed to get man to fly and put man on the moon without having to chat while driving. Fortunes were made and lost without portable communications devices. Children could go to school and play outside, all day, around their neighborhood without communications devices. If you needed to talk to someone while you were driving it waited until you got to your destination. While you were in your vehicle you attended to the task at hand, DRIVING. You paid undivided attention to what was going on in and around your vehicle. Just my $0.02
Laura
Irv is right. While hands free at least reduces some small amount of risk since your hands are not necessarily occupied elsewhere, that's not where the real danger of distraction comes in. The point is that your brain is unable to focus as clearly on the task. Your ability to use/react to your peripheral vision is greatly reduced, and your brain can't process the rest of the information it's receiving as well. That's what brings it up to the point where you are at the same level of risk as a a drunk driver. It's a matter of brain function. Nobody likes laws that ban things, and no, David, you can't legislate common sense. But when something is as high a risk as research has shown, AND as ubiquitous as cell phone use while driving, it's a danger to the general public (not just the driver). As such, something needs to be done.
Guy T C
Simple points: Driving with both hands on the wheel is the safest. People talking with passengers is certainly never going to be banned. There are various ways to be distracted while driving. Seat belt usage is up since "reminder dings" have been employed. Simple suggestion: Put sensors on the steering wheel that require both hands on the steering wheel except for brief (seconds) moments to use other car controls. The same "dings" would annoy you to comply. This allows for hands free phone conversations and even has the added benefit of possibly reducing dozing off while driving.
Lynn B
True story, I am an MD and sometimes talk to the ER while on my way into the hospital. Seen too many crashes to call and futz with schedule . Same issue for volunteer firefighters, nurses, dialysis techs, detectives, telephone linemen. Outside the big cities we all work "on call" every 2,3, ...8 weekends and we are not in uniform at that time.
bilyboy65
Yes this is a great idea. Lets introduce more laws the restrict our freedoms and make us more of a police nation. What a great idea. How about instead of taking away freedoms, we instead take on responsibility for our actions. Allow insurance companies to not cover accidents if you weren't paying attention to what you were supposed to be doing. Teach people and express the dangers during drivers education. Infringing on rights and freedoms isn't the way to correct bad behavior. The way the people of this nation think needs to change. Remember driving isn't a right it's a privilege. And distracted driving has been a problem since the beginning of cars we only continue to add distractions and make them a greater risk. As a nation our thoughts and attitudes toward driving needs to change and not our laws to add more restrictions. If we want more laws why even bother with this just spend the time to invent the car that drives itself and then we don't have to worry at all.