How Would You End Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving has become a primary cause of car accidents across the country. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics show 431,000 people were injured in distracted driving accidents in 2014. This is also a threat to Texans. Last year, distracted driving accidents killed 482 people in our state. Many of these crashes are caused by people using their phones while driving. Other accidents may involve motorists applying makeup, shaving or eating.The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), and many other Texans, want to fix this public safety problem. TxDOT recently held a distracted driving summit to showcase solutions for preventing distracted driving. Policymakers, business leaders and law enforcement were on hand to discuss these solutions with the public.

Would These Solutions End Distracted Driving?

The fact is, there are many possible solutions to solving this issue.

• Stronger laws: We recently talked about Texas and distracted driving on our blog. Texas is one of four states that does not have a statewide ban on texting and driving. In many states, drivers can face fines and lose points on their license.

• Public campaigns: TxDOT’s distracted driving summit is the perfect example of safety campaigns can inform the public about this issue. During the summit, speakers discussed how changing our behavior can prevent the temptation to use our phones behind the wheel. For example, keeping our phones off while driving or placing them out of reach.

• Apps and other tech: Apps like AT&T’s DriveMode can disable text messaging while driving. Some apps go a step further and disable phones. LifeSaver locks the phone once it detects the user is driving. Parents or employers can install LifeSaver on phones to observe the driving habits of their children or workers. Users collect points and obtain rewards for safe driving habits. For parents, points could buy a new Xbox game. Employers could reward workers with paid time off. Cellcontrol uses a combination of apps and equipment installed in vehicles, which can prevent tampering.

• Self-driving vehicles: Some claim self-driving vehicles, or the technology utilized by these cars, will end distracted driving accidents. Automatic braking, steering and other features are set to become standard features on new vehicles within the next few years. However, many people will be unable to afford these vehicles for quite some time. Others may be unwilling to give control of their vehicles to machines and software. This solution may take more than a decade to materialize.

These are only four examples of how the federal government and states could attempt to solve the distracted driving problem. We are likely to see a combination of solutions working together.What solutions would you choose from this list? Would you add any solutions? Let us know by interacting with the Texas personal injury attorneys at Mike Love & Associates, LLC on Facebook or Twitter.