Apple taking distracted driving seriously
More and more large companies and lawmakers are taking distracted driving seriously. It's about time. According to NHTSA, distracted driving killed 3,477 people in 2015. A feature in Apple's iOS11 hopes to stop this trend.
The Do Not Disturb While Driving feature disables alerts when you're on the road. The feature pops up when the phone determines you're in a moving vehicle after you've used it once. You can dismiss the feature if you're just a passenger.
Your phone will auto reply to messages that you're driving. There is an option to over ride this feature in the case of an "urgent" message. This feature is for users who don't have access to CarPlay. The new iOS has updated maps to inform drivers what lane is used to exit a highway.
But will people use it? That's the question. It's good to see a large company like Apple take a stand against distracted driving.
Texting Ban
Texas recently became the 47th state to outlaw texting and driving. The law takes effect on Sept. 1. Safety advocates and some lawmakers have pushed over a decade for a texting ban. Drivers are prohibited from writing, reading, and sending text messages while operating a vehicle while it is moving. However, it is still legal to use a phone to control the car's sound system or use navigation software.
Read more about the law here.
