A Lock Box to Prevent Distracted Driving
Driving, in general, has always been a pervasive and dangerous problem. According to the National Safety Council, at least nine Americans die nationwide, with a hundred injured from distracted driving. The dangers of distracted driving have gone so far as for the National Safety Council to April as the Distracted Driving Awareness Month to spread more information on the perils of distracted drivers.
In fact, in Michigan, the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center stated a 57% increase in distracted driving crashes from 2016 to 2017. This report should not be taken lightly as from those crashes, 67% of the car accidents were fatal. Clearly, over the years, due to the advancement in technology, causes for distracted driving are expected to increase further in the future.
Electronic Gadgets, Biggest Culprit of Distracted Driving
One of the biggest culprits of distracted driving nowadays is smartphones. We are always glued to our phones as we walk while we talk. When our phone rings or beeps, we grab our phones almost immediately to check our notifications. We almost always avoid being out of the loop. We are all somehow addicted to our phones that we don’t want to miss a story, a comment, or a ‘like’ on social media sites.
This remains to be a problem in nationwide, including Michigan, despite the Michigan law prohibiting texting while driving since July 1, 2010. In the year 2017, Michigan reported 5,237 accidents with 23 fatal crashes and 1,514 crashes that resulted in injuries. All of these accidents were said to have been caused by reckless drivers using electronic devices while driving.
Preventive measures must be taken to address this problem.
Proposed Bills to Prevent Holding Your Phone While Driving
Just this year, Governor Gretchen Whitmer proposed several bills to prevent distracted driving from the use of smartphones. She intends to strengthen the current law that prohibits texting while driving by increasing penalties for offenders and banning hand-held devices.
If the Governor’s proposals are given consideration, Michigan will be the 17th state to prohibit holding hand-held electronic devices and only allowing hands-free calling and texting while driving.
That is not to say, however, that no strict actions were done in several cities in Michigan. For instance, Battle Creek, Troy, and Warren are some of the cities in Michigan that have already passed ordinances that prevents holding and talking on a cellphone while driving.
How Can a Lock Box Prevent Distracted Driving?
Technology is a double-edged sword. If it can create a problem, it can also solve it. This led to how the lock box was created. Lock Box is one of the many innovations that could prevent, or at least curb the chances of distracted driving.
It’s designed to stop a car from running when your phone is not in your lock box. This works by putting a Smart Tag on your phone to for the system to detect your phone’s location. If it is not in the smart box, the car will not run. Your phone will not be in view; it would be stowed or hidden, thus preventing phone-related distracted driving. This tool ensures that you won’t be distracted while driving, and if you are, you surely won’t be able to drive your car.
This technology is very promising because it is not invasive or harmful to the driver. All it does is avoid any unnecessary distractions while driving. If your notifications seem to be distracting, at least you are encouraged to stop your car in case you want to look at your phone.
Protect Your Rights from a Distracted Driver
If you’re suffering from injuries due to an accident caused by a distracted driver, learn to protect your rights! Some people think that because they have personal injury insurance, they’re all set. Some people don’t think they need help, because they don’t want to spend for a lawyer, and believe that their knowledge is enough to settle possible disputes. But that is not usually the case.
Insurance companies can sometimes be ruthless and unfair. They will do everything in their power to avoid liability, or at least reduce it. You need a lawyer to ensure that you are fully protected and in this case, The Clark Law Office is just what you need.
The Clark Law Office has been around for decades. We have earned our reputation from caring for our client, while continually increasing our knowledge of the law, and experience in litigation for personal injury cases.
Don’t sleep on your rights. Get a reputable law office that will put you first. Contact The Clark Law Office today!
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