Engineering can combat texting
This is in response to Linda Metz’s March 14 article on texting while driving. It appears that our new texting legislation is a swing and a miss. Trying to enforce a ban on texting while driving will only stress our law enforcement resources further. We need to kick this one all the way back to engineering.
Preventative technology for this problem has been in use by the commercial trucking industry for about 15 years. Trucking companies use a laptop keyboard to send and receive text messages and delivery instructions to the drivers via satellite. A GPS function also sends tracking, location and movement information to the dispatcher.
To comply with safety regulations, messaging can only be accessed by the driver if the vehicle has been at a complete stop for a few minutes. The software term for this function is called “motion interlock.” It disables the keyboard when the GPS detects movement. An audible alert tells the driver that he has a message and he can pull over to safety and read and reply.
Why our cellular providers do not use this today is more likely the result of financial or competitive concerns. The technology is out there. Most cell phones today are equipped with GPS and texting could be suspended while driving, even as voice, Bluetooth and GPS navigation could still be used.
If such a motion interlock would be mandated for cellular manufacturers, via a rule from the Federal Communications Commission perhaps, the texting driver would become obsolete due to the normal two-year life of a cell phone.
Legislation should be attempted on this. Lives could be saved.
Rick Watson
Washington