Banning Cell Phones in Cars – Is This the Solution to Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving is caused by a multitude of factors. Chief among these, according to the 2009 Traffic Safety Culture Index, is the use of cell phones while driving. 90% of the respondents to the survey by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety stated that emailing or texting while driving was a very serious threat to safety. Yet, despite acknowledging the risks, 18% of them were involved in texting while driving and a further 55% were talking on the cell phone while driving.

Banning cell phones in cars may not be an effective solution to distracted driving. Maria Shriver, the wife of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, was photographed using a cell phone while driving in violation of the state’s ban on hand held cell phones while maneuvering a moving vehicle. The fact that numerous people still need to stay connected with business associates, clients and family while on the move means that using a cell phone in the car is a necessity. Distracted driving can still take place without cell phones, such as when a driver tries to change the CD or eat a hamburger or wear makeup with only one hand on the wheel and both eyes off the road.

A better solution would be to encourage the use of innovative technology that allows drivers to be entirely hands free yet still read their incoming text messages and email. A motorist can then keep both hands on the wheel while driving. Having a hands free cell phone that lets you listen to text greatly reduces the possibility of distracted driving caused by texting while driving.

DriveSafe.ly is a free mobile app that allows drivers to listen to email and SMS as they are spoken aloud in real time and automatically respond to the sender. This application uses your cell phone speakers or Bluetooth to articulate even SMS acronyms like ‘brb’ with just a one touch activation. It’s the proven solution enhancing productivity without texting while driving.