You Text, You Die!

Automologist ATHERTON brings you some worrying info about smartphone addiction, and a solution for it.

“More people die from texting while driving, as compared to any other disease...” I came across this shocking statement from a CEO who is advocating safe driving. Well, who else would say that? I’ll come to that bit in a while, but I suggest we sit back and reflect on the insane number of times we’ve sinned during our journeys on the road.

We’ve all had our fair share of phone-related incidents that we can tell our grandchildren. But the thing is, how many of us really make it a point to keep our phones away from us while driving? Sadly, the percentage is minute.

"Texting while driving is the biggest epidemic that we have in the world right now," says Steve Berman, CEO of bSafeMobile. "More people die from texting while driving, as compared to any other disease, and that is tragic because it can be prevented. We know that in one minute a person looks at their phone on average 14 times. The problem is that one second of stupidity can ruin your life forever." 

Here’s a superb vid on the effects of smartphone addiction:

bSafeMobile by Cogosense is a software solution for smartphones and tablets that detects when it is in a moving vehicle, and automatically puts the device in safe mode—a curtain screen blocks access to the keyboard and screen. All notifications and alerts are suppressed, including incoming calls, texts and emails.

bSafeMobile also monitors and reports on unsafe driving behaviours, including speeding, hard braking and excessive acceleration. In Malaysia, there is a home-grown company called DraVa which has almost similar features, founded by my schoolmates Koh Mui Han and Shanmuga Pillaiyan. It enables users to be safer drivers, with its easy-to-use technology and smart data science. It’s a great app for parents who have teenage drivers; it can measure trip history, driver behaviour and locate your offspring while they are on the move. These are just some of the attributes you’ll find on this app.

Anything that distracts you from driving can be fatal. Whether you’re goofing around in the car with your mates, drinking under the influence or sending a text message, bear in mind that it could all end in grief. It could ruin your life, the lives of loved ones and of others. We need to learn this before it’s too late.

I’m sure some of you have watched this brilliant clip about the dangers of texting and driving by Volkswagen before. But it’s worth another view and a share: