According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 5,000 people were killed in accidents involving distracted drivers in the U.S. in 2009, and 995 of those were directly linked to a motorist using a cellphone while driving. Several states have passed laws attempting to stop drivers from using their cellphones, and government agencies such as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration have begun fining their employees for the practice.
In an effort to further discourage cellphone use behind the wheel, Cellcontrol has introduced software for the Blackberry and Android smart phones that will enforce an employer’s cellphone policy for company owned vehicles.
In order for Cellcontrol to work, a trigger device must be installed in the vehicle’s On-Board Diagnostics Port beneath the dashboard, adjacent to the steering wheel. The port is typically used by mechanics running performance tests on the vehicle. The On-Board Diagnostics Port became mandatory on vehicles in 1996, so cars manufactured before this year might not be compatible with the program. Cellcontrol software can be customized to allow hands-free cellphone use or to allow or disallow calls from certain phone numbers while the vehicle is in use.
As a Riverside car accident lawyer, I have seen the problems drivers can cause when they quit paying attention to the road ahead. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, please consider contacting a Riverside personal injury lawyer.