There are many parents who would love to give their teenagers a mobile telephone that could not be used while driving. Now some companies say they have come up with a devise to make that possible, but they appear to be relying on hopeful thinking.
One devise to land on the shelves, is $10-a-month software by WQN Inc. based out of Dallas, it can disable a cellular phone while its owner is driving. It uses GPS technology, which can determine the speed a person is moving. But it can not determine if the person is driving — and therefore it can unwantingly lock a phone. WQN, who offers cellular phones and Internet security software for sale under the name WebSafety, says it had about 50 customers sign up for service during there first month.
Aegis Mobility, a software company based in Canada, plans to start offering a similar Global Positioning System-based devise this autumn, known as DriveAssistT. Aegis is speaking to large U.S. wireless phone carriers, who they need to support the software and charge their clients a fee of around $10 to $20 monthly, said the company’s vice president, David Teater.
The DriveAssistT system will cut off a mobile phone at driving speeds and relay a message to callers or texters saying the cellular phone they are trying to get in touch with is currently driving. But because that individual could be a passenger in the vehicle, this might not exactly solve the problem.
Other ideas or products that don’t involve GPS systems have flaws of their own. As a result, Parry Aftab, adviser to families on technology and safety, suggests concerned parents should figure out another way to stop their teenagers from calling or texting while driving. Parents would be better off taking away a teenagers mobile telephone if they aren’t using it properly, she said. discount auto insurance may be possible in the future if a devise is made to stop cell phone use while driving.
Growing concerns around driving while talking or text-messaging on a mobile phone in mounting, even if using Bluetooth technology, is very dangerous. The National Safety Council said just this month that mobile phone use should be totally banned while driving. The stats show a higher risk of accidents and deaths one driving will using a phone and one of the best ways to get inexpensive auto insurance is to have a clean record.
Currently there are at least 18 states restricting cell phone use — texting or speaking— for some or all drivers, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Even with these laws in place it hardly stops motorists especially young drivers from using their mobile phones while driving.
It’s critical for parents to ask themselves whether they want to prohibit their kid’s activities in this way. Your child might not be driving, but rather sitting on a train, bus or be a passenger in a friend’s vehicle.
Smart children will always find a way to get around technology, it’s human nature to try to defeat the system. Instead, try to educate your children about the dangers of mixing phones with driving.
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