Everyone already knows the apparent risks of driving while talking on a hand-held cell phone. Lawmakers also know about the percentage of deaths and accidents that are caused each year by drivers who were not paying attention because they were talking on their phones. That is why a number of states in the U.S. have made it illegal to drive while using a hand-held cell phone.
Now, according to the Wall Street Journal lawmakers are proposing legislation that would make it illegal to send text messages from your phone while driving.
Washington state has proposed a bill that will make it illegal to read, write or send text messages while driving. Oregon is also working on a law that would fine drivers as much as $720 for texting or holding a cell phone to the ear.
According to the article, 19% of all drivers text behind the wheel and 37% of those drivers that are between 18 to 27 text.
This is definitely needed, since there are many accidents and traffic jams that are caused by drivers that are talking on their cell phones. Another recent story claimed that even using hands free devices still causes distraction.
Full Story: The Car Connection
The News Market has also published a story today regarding this same issue. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and GM have created a vehicle that is capable of driving without any driver input. This would allow drivers to safely use their mobile devices. The car called "Boss" is a Chevrolet Tahoe with 25 lasers, cameras and radars that allow it to sense objects and to know which direction to go.
Full Story: The News Market
