By Mere Davis
The texting while driving epidemic has been going on for years. With a country that is extremely influenced by celebrity, you
would think that after Oprah’s Winfrey’s, “No Phone Zone pledge” in 2010, people would stop using their phones while driving. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case at all.
According to the National Safety Council, cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year. Almost 390,000 car accidents occur a year due to texting while driving! Recently the Textalyzer has been a heated topic in some parts of the world. Don’t feel alone if you haven’t heard of it. The device isn’t being used anywhere in the US, but there are many people who would like that to change.
What Is A Textalyzer?
- A tablet-sized device created by an Israeli digital forensics company called Cellebrite.
- After the device connects to your phone, it gives a report of your phone activity, and when the last time was that you used it.
- A Textalyzer can determine whether you were using: Whatsapp, Facebook, and other forms of social media while driving, and if your phone was on handsfree mode.
Several people in the US believe that the Textalyzer is invasive, therefore shouldn’t be used at all. Several people also believe that the Textalyzer is the same thing as a Breathalyzer, and it may be a perfect solution to end, the texting while driving crisis.
Textalyzer In America.
In 2016 New York State introduced legislation that would supply the Textalyzer device to officers, but the bill has been stalled in committee. This year Nevada introduced a similar legislation. However, it’s too soon for any updates regarding the proposals progress.
The original Nevada intro included a penalty for people who refused to give police Officers their phones – a 90-day license suspension. However, the new version under consideration does not have penalties for refusal. Just like drinking and driving, people will continue to text and drive – but is that an excuse to not take action? Is it fair to the innocent people being harmed and killed daily in car accidents because of texting?
The sad truth is, 1 out of every 4 car accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving. We must do something to increase these numbers, and we must find these victims justice.
Is the Textalyzer a good idea? We would love to hear your views on it. Please let us know.
