Little doubt distracted driving is a problem. Now bubbling to the top in the discussion of what to do about it comes the issue of smartphone map apps. Does using one of these hand-held navigation tools violate the prohibition against cell phone use while driving that exist in many states? And, are these apps inherently more dangerous than built-in navigation systems? Welcome to the next legal mess born in the fast moving world of geospatial technology. More below:
(New York Times, June 15, 2014)
Comment: Good luck with this one. As much as I am sympathetic with the end goal, the proposed solutions currently being offered amount to "regulating the sun". Try as you may, it's not going to work and you'll just end up creating a bunch of useless paperwork that will cause legal food fights till the cows come home. Seems to me efforts instead need to focus on installation hardware and placement, and using the smartphone's accellorometer to turn off the phone feature. Just a thought.
Photo credit: LA Times