By Julie Keck
Automobile accidents are the fifth leading cause of death. According to asirt.org, nearly 1.3 million people in the U.S. die in road crashes each year, with an average of 3,287 deaths a day. But the number one reason for these accidents is distracted driving.
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, reminding people about the dangers of texting or calling while driving. There are many factors why multitasking on the road is dangerous, but one factor that can lead to people using their phones while driving are cars with built-in Wi-Fi signals.
In early 2013, General Motors announced that it would partner with AT&T to make new models of cars with high-speed data connectivity, as stated by autotrader.com. This means that cars will have plenty of connectivity to go around. Passengers will be able to access a Wi-Fi hotspot that can power up to eight different smartphones, tablets, laptop computers and other devices. But this is the problem. Why make cars with built-in Wi-Fi signals when texting and calling on the road is illegal? Yeah, having cars with Wi-Fi signals is intelligent, and it is great for the kids when they want to watch tv in the back seats, but it can also result in accidents.
We live in a very connected world. It is rare to go anywhere without finding people staring into their smartphones or laptops. Since automakers are launching a new era of connected automobiles that can serve up their own Wi-Fi hot-spots, they do not see the effects of what could happen. What if a man is driving home late at night and is getting a call from his wife? He is fighting every urge to pick up the call because he knows that calling or texting is illegal. Thanks to his brand-new car that has a built-in Wi-Fi signal, his phone will have great service and he can quickly pick up the call. But he is not paying attention to the road and drives into a stop sign. He must now pay for the damage done to his car and that stop sign.
According to a study from a Personal Injury Law Firm Representing Injured People, one out of four car accidents in the U.S. are caused by texting while driving. The cars with Wi-Fi built in aren’t helping this problem. They only make it easier to get pulled over or to get into accidents.
Talking on a hand-held cellphone while driving is banned in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and the District of Columbia, as stated at textinganddrivingsafety.com. The use of all cellphones by novice drivers is restricted in 30 states and the District of Columbia and the use of all cellphones while driving a school bus is prohibited in 19 states and the District of Columbia.
No state bans all cell phone use for all drivers, but 38 states and D.C. ban all cell phone use by novice drivers, and 20 states and D.C. prohibit it for school bus drivers. It should be illegal in all states because everyone knows what can happen if a person is texting or calling while driving.
