Text and Drive recently became the #1 killer of teens in the US – more lethal than drunk driving. I think its starting to become clear that legislation has value in raising public awareness in forums like this one but it will be difficult to solely legislate our way out of this issue. I also read that over 3/4 of teens text daily – many text more than 4000 times a month. New college students no longer have email addresses! They use texting and Facebook – even with their professors. Tweens (ages 9 -12) send texts to each other from their bikes. Technology needs to be part of the solution and not dismissed as the villain.
I decided to do something about distracted driving after my three year old daughter was nearly run down right in front of me by a texting driver. Instead of a shackle that locks down phones and alienates the user, I built a texting asset called OTTER that is a simple and intuitive GPS based, texting auto reply app for smartphones. While driving, OTTER silences those distracting call ringtones and chimes unless a bluetooth is enabled. The texting auto reply allows anyone to schedule a ‘texting blackout period’ in any situation like a meeting or a lecture without feeling disconnected. This software is a social messaging tool for the end user that also empowers this same individual to be a sustainably safer driver.
If your going to ban texting and driving because it causes a distraction while drive then you have to ban eat, radio ,talking kids, players and gps because they all cause distractions. You cant have your cake and eat it while driving to.
Actually Text and Drive has been proven by objective studies (i.e. Univ of Utah and Texas A&M to name just two) to be the single most dangerous thing you can do while driving. The average text conversation while driving takes the driver’s eyes off the road for about 4 1/2 second – which is about a football field length at 50mph… That’s why the violent crashes we are seeing are specifically associated with this lethal combination and not from tings like putting on lipstick. Its also why Text and Drive has become the #1 killer of teens in the US…
I agree that its not the only behavior we should change behind the wheel – but its definitely the most lethal and needs to stop.
Text and Drive recently became the #1 killer of teens in the US – more lethal than drunk driving. I think its starting to become clear that legislation has value in raising public awareness in forums like this one but it will be difficult to solely legislate our way out of this issue. I also read that over 3/4 of teens text daily – many text more than 4000 times a month. New college students no longer have email addresses! They use texting and Facebook – even with their professors. Tweens (ages 9 -12) send texts to each other from their bikes. Technology needs to be part of the solution and not dismissed as the villain.
I decided to do something about distracted driving after my three year old daughter was nearly run down right in front of me by a texting driver. Instead of a shackle that locks down phones and alienates the user, I built a texting asset called OTTER that is a simple and intuitive GPS based, texting auto reply app for smartphones. While driving, OTTER silences those distracting call ringtones and chimes unless a bluetooth is enabled. The texting auto reply allows anyone to schedule a ‘texting blackout period’ in any situation like a meeting or a lecture without feeling disconnected. This software is a social messaging tool for the end user that also empowers this same individual to be a sustainably safer driver.
Erik Wood, owner
OTTER apps (Since 2010. Free)
If your going to ban texting and driving because it causes a distraction while drive then you have to ban eat, radio ,talking kids, players and gps because they all cause distractions. You cant have your cake and eat it while driving to.
Actually Text and Drive has been proven by objective studies (i.e. Univ of Utah and Texas A&M to name just two) to be the single most dangerous thing you can do while driving. The average text conversation while driving takes the driver’s eyes off the road for about 4 1/2 second – which is about a football field length at 50mph… That’s why the violent crashes we are seeing are specifically associated with this lethal combination and not from tings like putting on lipstick. Its also why Text and Drive has become the #1 killer of teens in the US…
I agree that its not the only behavior we should change behind the wheel – but its definitely the most lethal and needs to stop.
Erik Wood, Founder
OTTER apps