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New App to Help Make Roads Safer

New App Helps Deal with the Problem of Texting While Driving

We have all heard that texting while driving is a serious safety problem on our roadways. There are many forms of distracted driving and are all dangerous. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 6,000 fatalities and nearly 500,000 personal injuries involving auto accidents caused by distracted drivers in 2008. Texting while driving is probably the single most dangerous form of distracted driving because it takes your hands off the wheel, eyes and attention off the road. Texting and driving is now banned in 30 states.

The ban is one solution to this growing problem but now there is another possible solution to this problem. According to a CNet news report, AdelaVoice, a Massachusetts-based tech firm, has come up with a program called StartTalking. Instead of actually using your hands to text the message, you will be able to talk and send out a text. Similarly, when someone sends you a text, it will read it right back to you. This service isfree of charge.

Once installed on any smart phone, the application runs quietly and listens for voice prompts to begin working. When new messages arrive the app alerts you and offers to read them back to you. Other commands also allow you to listen to other messages in the inbox, clear a conversation log or even send out Facebook or Twitter updates.

my question  is how safe will this really be? Experts have maintained that even when you talk hands-free while driving, you are not completely out of danger. That's because your mind is engaged elsewhere other than the road. If your mind is busy thinking about text messages, voice commands and Twitter updates, there is a good chance that you are not paying attention to the road. While this may be a good alternative to texting while driving, it is not the perfect solution. Please drive safely. Keep your hands on the wheel and attention on the road.