You can click the following link to enhance the reading of this article: Reading Blinds.

This is a subject I’m surprised I haven’t yet written about and my inspiration came from a telecom email listserv that I subscribe to. The party that started the thread will remain anonymous due to a privacy request in their email footer, however, I can share with you the general scope of the rant, some of which I myself believe in. The writer expressed concern for a widespread and rapidly increasing problem as it relates to mobile technology and driving. He went on to reveal some statistics and examples whether reliable or not is not currently up for debate and I’m sure if you really wanted to you could get some pretty accurate numbers with a quick search of the web.

Inspiration courtesy of the Telecom-Talk listserv at The Voice Report. Sign up is free!

Reading further into the email thread, the writer went on to acknowledge his understanding of the forums rules on spam and off-topic subjects but felt it was worth the risk mentioning the upcoming release of a product he either knows about ,is in cahoots with or will be directly selling. He actually didn’t mention the product name or provide any links about the product but went on to mention that he had been testing a device that integrates directly with the vehicle to disable texting (is this word adopted into English dictionaries yet?), web surfing, emailing and in some cases voice conversations. He went on to also note that this works not only while driving but while the vehicle is “ON”.

While I can see the merits of his sharing this product with the listserv I don’t think this is the right approach to fixing the problem. In some cases, it could create a false sense of security. So of course I had to comment. Initially I was unbiased and simply pointed out the absurdity of grown adults making bad decisions and how it’s actually had an impact on technology and it’s offerings.

The problem is that a vast majority of the public casts blame on THE ACTUAL TECHNOLOGY rather than the folks abusing the technology! Distracted driving is not a technology issue, there have always been distractions prior to the “gadget era” we’re now in…like eating a big juicy hamburger, reaching for a cd or mp3 player, putting on makeup, talking to a passenger, etc. Heck, I’ve even seen folks reading a novel while behind the wheel in gridlock!

The REAL PROBLEM is the human factor. Everyone thinks they are immune to being an idiot. Everyone thinks they can multi-task while driving. The truth is, driving is too easy. It’s too boring to JUST DRIVE. We think that we can get more stuff done on the way to the next meeting, airport, etc. so why not make/take that call. Well, I’ll admit, I’m guilty as charged. However, I choose when it’s appropriate. I know my surroundings. I am constantly scanning ahead and behind me, using my mirrors continuously. I’m already thinking about what I’m going to do if the driver two lanes beside me suddenly swipes over in my direction. I’m not saying I’m better then anyone, I’m just saying I take driving seriously and don’t get lulled in like I believe so many others do. Additionally, one of my other passions in life since I was old enough for training wheels has been Motorsports and I’ve raced just about everything you can think of that has wheels. I do feel that I am more prepared than most because if these experiences. Knowing what to do and having complete control rather than a false sense of control. Heck, if everyone and I mean EVERYONE can do something, then doesn’t that imply that it’s way too easy?

What about the vehicles manufacturers are putting on the road. Did you know they only have to meet the “minimum” safety requirements? I mean duh, it’s always gonna be that way. Well, is the minimum safe enough for your kids, your spouse? Who do you think regulates the requirements? Driving enthusiasts? Driving experts? I think not. The first thing anyone should do when they purchase a vehicle is get rid of those manufacture supplied donuts they call wheels and add a few more inches of tread, upgrade your suspension and rent some time on a track and find out how to truly control your vehicle. (We’re talking typically less than a grand out of your pocket that may very save your life folks!)

Personally, even though I do believe that a good number of folks shouldn’t be chatting it up while driving, I don’t believe that we should impose restrictions on everybody across the board. Rather, we should look to technology and ingenuity to minimize the risk of bad decision making by the lesser few (debatable, i know). We should be looking at ways to integrate rather than restrict, because we all know, where there are restrictions, people will always find a way around it. On a final note, I think we need smarter vehicles where our mobile devices are docked in and web/text/email etc are non-intrusive the the driving experience, the vehicle is environmentally aware of dangers around us, and traffic systems are actually intelligent and efficient.

In conclusion, my thoughts would be to increase public demand for a better advancement in technology as it relates to the automobile industry. Let’s go beyond hands-free phone conversations and parallel parking and stop placing restrictions on us because we’re not demanding the right trends.

It’s not the “When” but the “Why”. The question we need to be asking is, if the technology is already here, why isn’t the demand for a safer delivery of the technology here? Is it just plain easier to place restrictions and bans then to own up to the responsibility for the problems we are creating as we advance in technology and then mass market the hell out of it?

Other useful links:

• Official US Government Website for Distracted Driving – Distraction.gov
  U.S. Withheld Data on Risks of Distracted Driving – New York Times
  Chevrolet Joins Oprah’s “No Phone Zone” Campaign to Combat Distracted Driving

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