Cellphones and Driving Simply Don't Mix

Despite laws against texting and driving or using a cellphone that is not hands-free, today's drivers simply don't seem to care.  Tickets, public service announcements, news about accidents, simply don't dissuade people from using cellphones while driving.  Last month's Huffington Post shared some alarming statistics - 25% of car accidents involved a cellphone, 33% admitted in a survey that they texted while driving, and worse that 9 people are killed every day as a result of this deadly practice.  And even though 46 states have laws banning texting while driving, it is a common occurrence to watch drivers on their phones.

We have developed a Pavlovian instinct to reach for our cellphone every time we hear one ding, buzz, or beep.  It may not even be our own, but we seem intent on looking, even when we are driving.  And that few second distraction to look down at a screen or type a quick response can change lives forever, not just the person being hit, but the driver as well.  But 20-20 hindsight will not change the result.

Our car is already loaded with screens; they seem to have replaced simple gauges to tell us more than just mph or miles driven.  Songs, stations, titles, temperature, driving directions and maps.  Helpful, yes.  So why not put the drivers text on the same screen with an automatic response saying "Behind the wheel, will text you later"  A simple elegant solution, tied to your phone that would also prevent unwarranted use.  Could it help?  Well given the statistics, it can only try to improve the process.