New Communication Devices Could Help Lower Cell Phone-related Accident Risks

As California personal injury lawyers, we are constantly monitoring the measures that are being taken to cut down on cell phone use while driving

. It is encouraging seeing the new kinds of high tech measures being adopted to combat such behavior. A report in the New York Times features new technologies that are being developed to reduce the distraction risks of using cell phones while driving.

To California car accident lawyers, as well as many auto safety experts, it's becoming clear that dealing with the cell phones while driving problem will require a combination of legislative efforts, as well as the use of other innovative technologies that can prevent accidents. The NYT report focuses on the technologies that are now being used to cut down these accident risks.

Using technologies to lower the accident risks that come with the use of cell phones while driving, is not new. For some time now, Ford automobiles have had the Sync system in place. Sync has been developed by the automaker in collaboration with Microsoft. The system uses voice activation technology to make a call using your cell phone. Using Sync, drivers can also have text messages read out to them. This reduces the need for the motorist to use his hand to dial his cell phone or read a text message thereby decreasing the risk of an accident. It also does not require him to take his eyes off the road for several seconds at a time.

In 2008 alone, more than 900,000 hands-free systems were installed. By the end of this year, those numbers are expected to touch 1.6 million systems. According to Ford executives, voice activation technologies have been proved to reduce accident risks from cell phone use, because they help keep the driver's eyes on the road and his hands on the steering wheel. In fact, a recent study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute had indicated that while the risk of being involved in an accident increased by 23 times when the driver was text messaging at the wheel, the risk of an accident was relatively minor in the case of drivers using voice activation systems. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, have both conducted studies that have shown that motorists who are using cell phones to have a conversation -whether hands free or handheld - have their risk of an accident increased by four times.

That's why new technologies that use the cell phone's GPS sensors to block calls if the person is driving, are becoming increasingly popular. Insurers have been happy enough with these call blocking technologies to offer their customers discounts on premiums. However, hands-free systems are not eligible for any discounts.

California personal injury lawyers believe that the fewer cell phone distractions behind the wheel, the safer everyone will be. Technologies that muzzle the cell phone when the person is driving, may be much safer than mere hands-free sets.

by: Robert Reeves

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