Federal Plan to Decrease Distracted Driving

Distracted driving (Photo credits: www.smartsign.com)

Texting while driving is illegal in California, as well as other states; however, people are continuing to fiddle with their phones while stopped at a red light or worse, while in motion. The federal government has a plan to eliminate the distraction to increase general safety for drivers, but it will take a really great technology development and time.

More than 3,000 people are killed each in year in America from distracted drivers. That accounts for about ten percent of the fatalities caused by vehicular collisions. Though states can pass laws and police officers can issue tickets, there is no way to ensure that drivers keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road; but the government is working hard to get there.

The ultimate solution would be to make it impossible to send a text message or update social media while driving. The government is working with automobile manufacturers to create a technological obstruction, one that would deactivate the mobile device upon attempted usage in a car. The vehicle would sense the driver attempting to text or browse Facebook and would immediately shut it down. Though this idea seems outlandish and maybe impossible to some critics, advances thus far in the technology world have already proven that so many ideas can realistically be executed.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has made a proposition that outlines its ideas for restricting distracted driving. The key objective is to limit the amount of time a driver removes his/her hands from the wheel or his/her eyes from the road. The Administration wants car manufacturers to make it impossible to enter text for messaging and browsing while the car is in motion; and to disable video and social media content from being displayed.

A large issue that the NHTSA will face is that the change will require full participation from drivers; and if the pairing is not done easily, then drivers will opt out of it and continue to use their handhelds illegally. This is why it is looking for an innovative technological idea that will embed it within the car requiring compliance beyond being aware of it at the time of purchase.

This change may be inconvenient for some drivers; however, it could also save thousands of lives each year. Though distractions come in more forms than cell phones, it is likely that removing this specific diversion will reduce the amount of accidents that occur in the country.

Accidents are an unfortunate part of our lives. If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident, whether it was caused by a distracted driver or something else; contact an Orange County Accident Attorney today. A lawyer can assist you in identifying negligence, filing claims; and can ensure that you receive the highest possible compensation for the damages that you have suffered, including punitive damages in the event of a fatality.