How Smartphones Will Soon Lead to Smart Driving

Distracted driving is a major problem in the United States. To highlight how widespread the distracted driving problem is, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that each day, more than nine people are killed and 1,060 more people are injured in crashes that involve a distracted driver.

The most common form of distracted driving is driving while using a cellphone. Per the same CDC source cited, 69 percent of U.S. drivers reported that they had talked on their cellphone while driving within 30 days of when the study was conducted. In addition to talking, texting and driving is one of the most distracting behaviors as well.

Solving the Distracted Driving Debacle

Getting people to turn off their phones and focus on the task at hand—driving—while behind the wheel seems like an impossible feat. So rather than getting people to stop paying attention to their phones, some have suggested just the opposite: what if smart phones could be used to alert drivers of upcoming dangers on the road?

Driving Mode Feature on Phones

Perhaps the most innovative of technology is that of Driversiti. The company is developing smartphone software that, to quote the company’s website transforms smartphones from drivers’ “worst enemy to their best friend”

Here is how Driversiti works: The technology within the software interacts with the vehicle that is being driven, as well as all occupants of a car. The program is smart enough to know who in the car is using the software.

According to an article published in Nextgov.com, if the phone is in the driver’s hands, it can automatically recognize any signs of distracted driving—such as lane drifting—and flag it. It can also recognize other dangerous behaviors, such as speeding, as well.

There are also apps for smartphones that put phones into ‘driving mode.’ In driving mode, incoming texts, emails, and calls are all blocked. Driving mode on a phone also blocks game applications, social media, and any other features of the phone that communicate with the outside world, according to an article published in The Wall Street Journal. With driving mode applications, however, drivers have to opt to turn them on. A driver who is using his or her phone for communication purposes may not be inclined to opt into a program that shuts down his or her ability to do just that.

Preventing Car Accidents Caused By Distracted Driving

There is no doubt that smartphone technology in regards to safe driving applications still has a long way to go. But within the next decade, it is highly likely that the smartphone will be looked to as a safe-driving tool rather than a distracted driving danger.

In the meantime, distracted drivers and the accidents that they cause continue to inundate roadways. If you have been involved in an accident with a distracted driver, you have the right to meet with an experienced car accident lawyer to discuss your recovering options. At the Frank Jenkins Law Office, our attorneys are ready to work with you to aid you after a car accident. Contact us using our online consultation form today.