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Apple files US patent for device to prevent drivers from texting (28 April 2014)

Date: 28/04/2014
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Apple files US patent for device to prevent drivers from texting

Technology giant Apple has filed a US patent for an in-car device which would prevent motorists from texting while driving.

Sensors installed in iPhones would be able to tell where an iPhone user was sitting in a vehicle and would also detect the speed a car was travelling at. The lockout system would disable some programs in a smartphone or PDA to prevent texting from behind the driving wheel while the vehicle is in motion.

The technology could also block signals from reaching the vehicle, making phones and PCs in a vehicle unable to connect to wifi.

Road safety charity Brake says that texting while behind the wheel of a vehicle can increase the risk of a road traffic accident 23-fold. Texting while driving also slows a driver’s reaction by one-third.

Head of motoring policy for the AA, Paul Watters, told the Daily Mail:

“Apple could have the power to change the culture behind texting and driving, if it works and is intuitive. That would be a very good step.”

Mr Watters added that research by the AA had shown texting to be “addictive” and a habit that is very hard to break, even while driving.

In the UK, it is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving, but using a handsfree mobile attached to a cradle on the dashboard is not illegal.

The government’s THINK! road safety campaign warns that using a mobile or even a SatNav device while driving can be distracting, as even a split-second lapse in concentration could cause a road traffic accident.

However, some drivers continue to use hand-held mobile phones while driving – and risk losing their licence or being fined. Insurance is also likely to increase – and causing injury or death to another road user, passenger or a pedestrian could result in a manslaughter charge or a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

THINK! also warns not to call motorists if you know they are driving – this can be difficult for those who work as field workers travel as part of their job, but the recommendation by THINK! is to pull over to the side of the road and park safely before making or receiving a phone call on the road.

Injuries from http://think.direct.gov.uk/mobile-phones.html>road traffic accidents (RTAs) – both in the UK and abroad – are now one of the main causes of personal injury claims, with young adult males having a much higher risk of suffering injuries from RTAs than any other group. Brake says that research shows an 18-year-old motorist is three times more likely to suffer injury from a road accident than a 48-year-old driver – and young adult male drivers aged 17-20 have a seven-fold greater risk of injury from an RTA than other male drivers.

In the US, the National Safety Council estimates that more than one in four RTAs is now caused by a motorist using a mobile phone while driving – approximately 1.3 million accidents every year. It is also estimated that 5% of all road accidents in the US are caused by a driver texting while behind the wheel.

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors for Road Traffic Accidents

Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors can advise on how to make a no win no fee claim for injuries suffered as a result of a road traffic accident caused by another party.

Claimants have three years from the date of injury in which to make a claim – low-value compensation claims below £10,000 for RTA injuries are fast-tracked through the Ministry of Justice’s RTA Claims Portal.

No win no fee compensation claims for serious or life changing injuries as a result of a road accident can be made through the civil court.

For expert legal advice on compensation claims for injuries sustained in a road accident, contact Duncan Lewis Road Traffic Accident Solicitors on 020 7923 4020.

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