A car is not only a tool that takes people from point A to point B, but it can be a tool for enjoyment as well. Driving through a beautiful state such as Montana can be calming or even romantic for a couple in love. While many people enjoy driving a car, it is important to remember that it is also an extrememly powerful piece of machinery that requires the utmost attention of the driver.
Distracted driving has become a very serious issue largely in part due to developing technology over the past couple decades. In the year 2010 alone, there were 3,092 people who were killed in an accident with a distracted driver.
Cellphones seem to be the center of attention for safety advocates fighting against the dangers of distracted driving. It’s true that cellphones are often abused behind the wheel as individuals send text messages, surf the Internet, scan their emails or call a friend without hands-free assistance.
Yes, cellphones are dangerous behind the wheel, but they are certainly not the only distracting device. GPS navigation devices have become very popular, but looking down to see which turn is next in line can be as dangerous as sending a text. It isn’t the device, it is the fact that a driver looks down or focuses on the device instead of the road ahead.
Garmin is a big manufacturer of these navigational products, but officials say the company cares about safety too. In fact, the company recently released news of a product that is set to hit shelves later this summer, and it is one that they believe will help reduce car accidents caused by distracted driving.
The new product is one that projects the navigational map onto the windshield of a vehicle. This means that the driver could see the data without moving their eyes away from the road.
Of course, the product’s real life safety has yet to be seen. Will it be the next best thing for driving? We can’t say, but even drivers with the safest technology are capable of negligence. When that negligence injures another, personal injury attorneys can step in to help an accident victim.
Source: Yahoo! “Heads up! Yes, that’s a map on the windshield,” Mark Chalon Smith, July 16, 2013