According to the popsci.com on November 19, the Obama administration is considering disabling cell phones in American cars, aiming to cut down on distracted drivers and cell-phone-related road deaths。
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, the nation's preeminent anti-distracted-driving crusader, said in an interview on MSNBC on November 18 that federal officials are looking at technology to disable cell phones inside cars。
"I think it will be done," LaHood said. "I think the technology is there and I think you're going to see the technology become adaptable in automobiles to disable these cell phones. We need to do a lot more if we were going to save lives."
More than 5,500 people were killed last year by distracted drivers, and another 500,000 were injured, according to the Department of Transportation. LaHood has said it is never safe to talk on a cell phone while driving, hands-free or not, because it is a "cognitive distraction."
Incidentally, a lot of people seem to agree with this sentiment — a new poll released on November 18 shows nearly two-thirds of Americans support a national ban on the use of cell phones while driving, even if the driver is using a hands-free device. But the poll didn’t ask how people feel about government-issued mobile phone scramblers or other disabling devices。