In a lawsuit filed this week, Apple is being accused of refusing to implement a system that would block drivers from texting while operating a motor vehicle. Reporting coming from 9 to 5 Mac states:
“The lawsuit, filed at the Los Angeles County Superior Court by MLG Automotive Law, centers around plaintiff Julio Ceja who was involved in a car accident where he was hit by another driver allegedly using her iPhone behind the wheel.
The far-reaching lawsuit claims that the iPhone is the culprit of 52,000 car accidents in California per year, as well as 312 deaths per year on average. Furthermore, the suit cites data from the U.S. Department of Transportation that claims 1.5 million people are texting and driving at any given moment, while the government agency also claims that texting and driving is six times more dangerous than driving under the influence.”
While there is no question that texting and driving is a detriment to safety, there is a level of common sense involved. From simply not using your phone while driving to using an Apple CarPlay or Android Auto enabled car stereo, there are many options drivers have at their disposal.
Apple and Google both took the initiative back in 2014 to create cell phone enabled car infotainment solutions, in November 2015 the NHTSA issued guidelines to cell phone manufacturers that urges them to simplify the user interface and limit certain features from being used while driving. Before we start to get too much government regulation on cell phones do yourself and your fellow drivers a favor, put your phone down while driving.
