Can Technology Stop The Problem It Has Caused?
One of the rising issues for modern drivers is the danger imposed by technology.
Not so much that technology is taking control away from us but that more and more drivers are choosing to use their smartphones whilst they are driving.
The motoring and mainstream press are starting to fill column inches with reports of tragic accidents where a driver has been distracted by using their phones whilst they are behind the wheel.
It is not so long ago that using a mobile phone to make or receive a call was bad enough however, with texting and email becoming the preferred method of communication for many the issue is getting worse, not better.
Social media is having a massive impact as an increasing amount of drivers seem to be taking heir hands off the wheel and eyes off the road, to grab a glimpse of a status update or tweet.
We then move onto apps such as Snapchat which has recently been in the press for the wrong reasons.
Back in May reports came in from the US that Snapchat had introduced a filter which recorded the speed at which someone was travelling when their picture was taken on their phone.
It went even further than that in giving awards to users who posted the highest speeds on their snaps.
And it was this very app which was being used when a teenage driver ploughed her Mercedes Benz into another car at 100mph. The driver seemingly so engrossed in taking their picture and posting the speed that they totally missed another vehicle.
This accident resulted in the offending driver being taken to hospital and the victim suffering catastrophic and permanent injuries.
Adding insult to injury, the offending driver then took a selfie of themselves in the back of the ambulance, posting the same to social media.
Recent studies in the UK have shown that 25 to 34 year old drivers are taking more and more risks by continuing to use their phones when they are behind the wheel.
In the latest figures presented by the road safety charity Brake! that around 55% of the group have admitted to sending or reading a text whilst driving within the last year.
An astounding 20% have admitted to using their smartphones when they are behind the wheel on a regular basis.
Bearing in mind that Brake! have stated a driver who is texting has a 35% lower reaction time and much poorer lane control, this proves a great and increasing problem on our roads.
Alice Bailey, who is the campaigns and communications adviser for Brake! has recently stated: “Younger drivers, especially those aged between 25 and 34, simply aren’t getting the message about the dangers of using a mobile phone while driving.
“Doing any other complex task while driving hugely increases your chance of crashing. We’ve seen recent examples of drivers who have crashed while trying to play games like Pokémon Go or posting Snapchat images while behind the wheel. These drivers are putting their own and other people’s lives in grave danger by taking this risk. If a phone has to be used as a sat nav, it must be programmed before setting off on the journey and properly secured. There is no other acceptable way to use a phone while driving.”
An article was published on my website back in March of this year that just gave the advice of putting the smartphone down. – http://www.nickfreemansolicitors.co.uk/put-the-smartphone-down-says-report/
The article was in relation to a report that unsurprisingly suggested that drivers who use phones behind the wheel are more likely to be distracted.
This was on the back of data stating that around 2 million UK drivers had experienced near misses whilst driving and using technology.
So what is the answer?
The easy answer is that people should turn their phones off in the car. That would be really simple but it is just not happening.
How about a change in the law? Well this has been mooted and the Government sought to raise the fine from £100 to £150.
I wrote about the futile nature of this and said that in real terms, using a mobile phone whilst driving can be seen as the new drink driving and should carry the same kind of penalties. – http://www.nickfreemansolicitors.co.uk/new-mobile-phone-laws-futile-says-mr-loophole/
So if the law is not being changed to discourage people and if drivers themselves won’t leave their phones alone, what can be done?
A former space engineer from Boulder, Colorado called Scott Tibbitts may have come up with an idea by employing technology to defeat technology.
What he is developing is an in car device that is set to block specified incoming and outgoing data traffic to a smartphone whilst the user is driving.
The idea, which is quickly becoming a potential product is called Groove.
Once installed into a car, it connects the driver’s smartphone with a cloud server which in turn connects with the mobile service provider, letting them know that the user is driving.
The mobile service provider then blocks all incoming texts, social media updates and emails as well as blocking all outgoing transmissions whilst the person in driving.
Tibbitts stated: “When you start driving, you go into the super airplane mode, where the things that would distract you go away. All of a sudden, those things are not on the phone anymore.”
If someone attempts to text the driver they get a message stating that the recipient is currently driving.
Once the car stops and the engine is turned off, 10 seconds later all the data and messages start to flow as normal.
So is this the answer?
Well maybe. The issue always remains that a driver could disable the system. And of course the installation and usage of the technology would be voluntary.
What may well work is if the insurance industry gets to grips with this idea and offer premium discounts if the technology is employed.
With the age range of the most likely offenders, any reasonable discount of ever increasing insurance premiums may make drivers take it more seriously than not.
In the end something has to be done with using mobile phones in cars whilst driving. Whatever, that something may be.
About Nick Freeman
Nick Freeman is probably the best known solicitor practising in the country today.
He has been dubbed "Mr Loophole" by the press owing to his vast technical knowledge of motoring law matters and his ability to successfully challenge the prosecution over procedural irregularities.
Nick is widely known for his celebrity client list and high profile criminal defence cases.
Nick is the head of Freeman & Co. Solicitors and although based in Manchester, represents defendants in motoring and criminal cases all over the country.
After graduating from Chester Law School in 1979, Nick started his career as a prosecuting solicitor for Greater Manchester Police.
Nick soon became known for his technical legal abilities and robust court room style and he was soon recruited into private practice by the highly respected solicitors firm of Burton & Co. He was soon to be made a partner at the practice but in 1999 he decided to start his own firm following which Freeman & Co. was formed.
Owing to Nick's meticulous case preparation and technical legal skill he soon made Freeman & Co. one of the most respected and sought after criminal solicitors firms in the country.
Despite the celebrity client list and media attention, Nick and Freeman & Co. have built their practice on representing ordinary members of the public with the same tenacity as those more high profile cases that are reported in the press and on TV.
Outside of his professional practice Nick is a regular expert guest on TV and radio and is well regarded as an expert legal commentator. He is an ardent supporter of defendant anonymity in sex cases.
In recent times his credits have included Tonight With Trevor MacDonald, Close Up North West, Channel 4 News, BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 5 Live to name but a few. He also appears regularly on Sky News, BBC News 24 and Legal Eagles on ITV's This Morning. Nick is a regular legal commentator for the Sunday Times.
A father of 2 children Nick is a keen golfer with a 2.9 handicap and enjoys vigorous exercise with his Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Contacting Nick Freeman
For professional matters and representation Nick can be contacted through Freeman & Co. on 0161 236 7007 or you can send him a confidential email by clicking here.
If you would like to contact Nick for a media appearance or legal comment please call David Simister on 0845 389 26 26.