Companies Move to Stop Teen Cell Phone Calls and Texting While Driving

Everyone knows the dangers of doing other things while you are driving your car. Many times you can see people eating, putting on makeup or even trying to read a map all while behind the wheel of the vehicle. Now technology has added to the world of distractions while driving with many people talking on the cell phone while they attempt to drive a car. As scary as all of this is, the teen-popular way of communication goes beyond the phone calls on the cell phone and really favors texting. The problem is texting requires the use to your hands which for all intensive purposes should be on the steering wheel. Many teens have enough trouble driving with tow hand, let alone with none. It is for this reason of talking and texting while driving that some companies are trying to find a way to stop the teen actions all together.

One product already on the market is from a Dallas based company called WQN, which sells is service under the name WebSaftey. WQN's product uses GPS technology to tell how fast the owner of the phone is travelling and disables the phone if a certain speed (like that attained while driving a car) is achieved. While the idea is great, it does not account for if the owner is the driver or the passenger. But the company promises more than just phone disabling while driving. The company can also text parents when the teen has gone out of a designated area or has returned home. The company also says it can disable the phone during school hours as well. WQN charges $10 per month for its services and says it has signed up about 50 users in its first month (source: news.yahoo.com). Other companies are following suit.

Aegis Mobility is currently in talks with major phone carriers to work with Aegis's software in a product that will be known as "DriveAssistT." The company will also use GPS technology to disable a cell phone while at driving speeds and will send a message to the caller or texter saying that the person they are trying to reach is too busy driving. The service will cost $10 to $20 per month (source: news.yahoo.com). The same problem persists however in the case of driver or passenger.

Many are quick to point out the flaws of such services but all agree that something needs to be done. While talking and or texting is illegal in 18 states, many drivers (especially teens) are not deterred. And lest we forget that last year in New York, five teens were killed because the teen driver was carrying on a text conversation and slammed into a tractor trailer (source: news.yahoo.com). While education of our teens remains critical, a little technological help here and there certainly won't hurt.