Government officials from the Distracted Driving Summit in Washington on Tuesday called for a network of laws, police enforcement, and personal responsibility to keep the nation's roads safe from wandering eyes. The concern over car and truck accidents caused by drivers distracted by technology was the focus of the Summit.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood argued that it is time for the technology industry to place warnings on their products in order to advise consumers not to use phones while driving. Secretary LaHood envisions a warning similar to those used for cigarettes, and safety advocates argue that it is time for a public campaign against all uses of mobile phones in cars similar to drunken driving and seat belt awareness campaigns.

The concerns come in reaction to expanded technology uses in vehicles; new cell phone uses such as social networking and internet use as well as automobiles with greater in-cabin technology features have been identified as "cognitive distractions" and therefore threaten safety.

Technology within cars is expanding. General Motors Co.'s OnStar safety system will feature voice recognition capability so that drivers can more easily connect to the Internet. Ford also markets an in-cabin communication and entertainment feature known as Sync. Automakers believe voice-activated features are safer than drivers using hand held cell phones.

Secretary LaHood plans to meet with automakers in order to develop a set of safety guidelines related to technology in vehicles. Currently, 30 states and the District of Columbia do not allow drivers to text while driving. Eight states prohibit drivers from using hand held mobile phones from behind the wheel. During 2009, almost 5,500 people were killed in accidents involving distracted driving.

A federal law that would ban texting while driving is currently awaiting Congress's approval.

Source: Denverpost.com, "Summit Calls for Reduction in Distracted Driving," Ken Thomas, 9/21/10