Just because you can’t live without your cell phone doesn’t mean others should die because of it. Our growing attachment to smartphones may be putting millions of lives at risk each day. A Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia study revealed that “cell phone use behind the wheel reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent.” According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving, such as talking or texting, “killed 1,730 drivers, 605 passengers, 400 pedestrians and 77 bicyclists” in 2018. The National Safety Council reported 206,000 nonfatal accidents occurred from 2011-2018. A USA Today article claimed that one out of for accidents in the United Stated was caused by cell phone use. Today’s slogans and ad campaigns may not be enough to convince drivers not to text and drive. We also need to look to the future. Carmakers and lawmakers should collaborate on an app I believe could tens of thousands of save lives.
Automakers have introduced numerous innovations to make cars safer. The list of safety features include the 3-point seat belt, anti-lock brakes, proximity sensors, automotive safety glass, air bags and many more. Features such as automotive voice commands and text to voice reading are helpful but do not go far enough to eliminate the temptation to use phones. The next major auto-safety feature should focus on eliminating cell phone distractions. Instead of waiting for the previously mentioned statistics to worsen, automakers should collaborate with lawmakers to accelerate the introduction of more a more effective cellphone safety feature.
Cooperation could bring faster results. According to the Governor’s Highway Safety Association “48 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands ban text messaging for all drivers.” Yet the problem still persists and the consequences are often fatal. Lawmakers could work with the auto industry to develop the Safe Driver App as a standard safety equipment on new cars. The law should require drivers to register phone and synchronize their phone with the car’s Safe Driver App. Safe Driver will be activated whenever the car is on and the phone is within Bluetooth range or connected via USB. All phone features will be active while the car is motionless. However, when the car is in motion the touchscreen will be deactivated. Phone calls, text messages, podcasts, audio books, and GPS can only be accessed through the car’s infotainment system. This change should drastically reduce the risk of accidents since infotainment systems are designed to keep they driver’s eye closer to the windshield. Safe Driver will enable the smartphone’s screen when the care is off or whenever the car comes to a complete stop.
Safe Driver is an extension of existing laws, which prohibits texting and driving. Safe Driver could help millions of motorists to drive without distractions from their phones, may save tens of thousands of lives and hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage each year. Carmakers and lawmakers should act now to make this app a part of future regulations!