Apple’s new iPhone 4s is most known for its popular feature” “Siri” which allows users to dictate text messages without typing and reading incoming texts aloud. Although this seems like the perfect solution for life behind a steering wheel, the problem is that texting is illegal in many jurisdictions. Car makers are also in on the trend that Siri has brought- Ford and BMW have designed speech-to-text systems for some of their newest vehicles, which allow drivers to hear messages as they are received and dictate messages for the car system to send. As more drivers acquire these new technological advances, lawmakers in states with more restrictive rules may need to decide whether Siri is any less distracting to drivers. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 34 states have banned texting while driving and nine states have banned the use of handheld phones while driving. Dave Grannon, CEO of Vlingo, believes that the newer technology will make drivers’ actions safer than trying to ban people from doing certain things. “We need laws that mandate safe technology solutions, not laws that are going to be simply ignored by people,” said Grannan. According to a white paper put out by the research group, drivers experience cognitive distraction even when they talk on cell phones hands-free. They claim this is because the brain is forced to switch back and forth between the two competing activities, causing it to “look at” but not “see” objects, which is properly known as “inattention blindness.” Contrary to this perspective, Virginia Tech University’s Transportation Institute came to a different conclusion about using hands-free devices while driving. They believe these drivers have a much lower risk of crashing, because the driver’s eyes stayed on the road. For now, the Governors Highway Safety Association, which is an advocacy group for improving traffic safety in the states, is recommending low-cost safety issues before reaching a conclusive decision about hands-free devices while driving. They are suggesting that states install rumble strips on roads to alert drivers who drift out of their lane and educating the public about the risks of distracted driving. The issue of distracted driving will always persist, so it is up to us drivers to ultimately make the smartest and safest decision.
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