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General discussion

A cell phone disabler while driving?

Jul 7, 2017 5:10PM PDT

Hi there,

Is there anything on the market than can disable a cellphone while driving? My granddaughter just started driving, and we don't want her using the phone while driving. I realize you can tell kids not to use a cellphone, but sometimes that isn't enough. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thank you.

--Submitted by Keith T.

Discussion is locked

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Yes, but illegal
Jul 7, 2017 5:13PM PDT

She might be distracted even more while trying to make it work.

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Be more specific
Jul 8, 2017 7:49AM PDT

We are only discussing legal remedies.

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What?
Jul 14, 2017 8:54PM PDT

Is it illegal because she would trying to make it work?
It sounds likes you assume that this is something that is somehow done covertly and that the granddaughter doesn't know that the phone isn't suppose to work.
It would seem that the plan is most effective if she knows that the phone is not suppose to work.

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Illegal: Because the U.S. Goverment Says So
Jul 14, 2017 11:15PM PDT

Has nothing to do with the user. You can't "jam" radio waves in the U.S. I think we got into the same discussion when talking about flying drones over people's property. In this case, calls to 911 have to be allowed, at least in California. And you can't jam signals if someone in the car is a medical doctor or if people in a neighboing area are affected.

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there are apps available
Jul 7, 2017 5:14PM PDT

there are apps available that will do what you want. also check with your service provider, they may have the ability to do what you want. I know at&t does.

Post was last edited on July 14, 2017 1:23 PM PDT

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Agreed there are apps available
Jul 14, 2017 1:40PM PDT
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Cell Control
Jul 15, 2017 12:51PM PDT
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IOS 11
Jul 7, 2017 7:00PM PDT

IOS 11 for Apple is going to have that capability. It will be out soon.

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iOS11
Jul 15, 2017 1:50AM PDT

But could the grand-daughter then easily disable the feature and call anyway? I thought the iOS11 thing was more to prevent calls and txts coming in while driving and to stop you inadvertently making a call. But going into settings you could easily disable the feature. Unless you lock down the phone via parental controls.

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You'd need a cellphone jammer
Jul 7, 2017 8:34PM PDT

and have it hooked up to run only when the engine was running. She might need to call you from a stalled locked car, so wouldn't want a jammer interfering then.

Search for Jammers

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against federal law in US
Jul 8, 2017 1:33AM PDT

you cannot legally use cell phone jammers in the US.

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True!
Jul 8, 2017 2:40AM PDT

But that seems to apply to signal jammers. Unless "Airplane Mode" is also not legal, then Apple's "Driving Mode" should be legal. Agree? Disagree?

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Airplane mode
Jul 8, 2017 7:53AM PDT

Most creative flight attendant I have ever seen read the safety instructions regarding seatbelts, then quickly turned up the volume on her com and in a loud clear voice said, "Hey Siri, turn on airplane mode".

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talking about jammers
Jul 8, 2017 1:38PM PDT

big difference between jammers and airplane mode. the problem with jammers is you cannot control who they block. It would not just be your vehicle, it would be everyone around you, including any emergency vehicles that might be passing. even prisons cannot use them to stop cell phone usage within the prison because it would also block every home and business outside of the prison. that is why they are illegal.

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previously stated.
Jul 8, 2017 10:44AM PDT

look up.

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We Did! Illegal!
Jul 8, 2017 1:20PM PDT

While the FCC (in the U.S.) notes that these "signal jammers" are being sold over the Internet, they are still illegal to use in the U.S.



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There are Issues with Everything
Jul 8, 2017 12:42AM PDT

I understand your thoughts completely. As Elvisfan said, this feature is coming soon. As others have said, there are probably apps out there now.
Laws differ by state! In California, you can use your phone if you have a hands-free setup. Otherwise, certain days of the month counties will go after you if your hand is anywhere near your ear.
Here are some of the issues:
1) You still should be able to make emergency calls.
2) What happens if a passenger wants to make a call or use text or an app?
3) Can you lock down the phone completely? Or can your daughter unlock it?
My suggestion: if your daughter is old enough to drive she should be able to understand how dangerous it is to use the phone while driving. Talk to her. Clip the article of the woman who crashed her car by texting while driving. She survived but went back to the same behavior, and then died because of texting. Buy her a good quality speakerphone for the car. Look at reviews. Make sure easy to use. But only if you are allowed to use hands-free in your state. Don't listen to any nonsense about how good she is while driving at using the phone; a lot of people "think" they are good enough to do it, bit I notice people swerving all over the place, stopping, starting long before I confirm the phone against the ear.

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Also the green light sitter
Jul 8, 2017 10:47AM PDT

so busy talking he uses most of a green light sitting there after the red is gone.

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I learned a long time ago
Jul 8, 2017 1:41PM PDT

If I want a red light in order to do something real quick, it will always be green. If I want nothing but green lights in order to get home quicker, it will always be red Happy

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And no two yellow lights....
Jul 9, 2017 5:15AM PDT

....last the same amount of time.

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Hands free is not safer
Jul 17, 2017 2:04PM PDT

Every time this is tested, it comes up the same. Inattentional blindness is essentially identical when using hands free or holding the phone. In an automatic car, holding the phone is a brainless activity that does not distract, at all. It's the conversation that's dangerous.

I wish I could find an outfit here in the Dallas area who could put people on a closed course and let them review just how bad they are at driving while on the phone. I have several friends who routinely talk while driving. Most people do not have the introspection necessary to understand just how dangerous they are on the road. I was behind someone today who crossed into the next lane four or five times within a mile.

I notice it in myself. The half dozen times a year I allow myself to talk on the phone while driving, when I hang up, it is instantly obvious to me that I was not paying nearly as much attention as I thought I was. I am suddenly much more aware. That always scares me straight for another coupla months.

About the only time I'm okay with talking while driving is on a highway in the middle of nowhere with nobody nearby on the road. Even then, I hit a coyote, one time. I'm *pretty sure* I would have hit it, anyway, even if I wasn't on the phone. Because it was really dark out. But, I can't be certain.

Driving is the most dangerous thing most of us do in our everyday lives. Driving while talking on the phone is much more dangerous. Texting is completely foolish.

Drake Christensen

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From What I've Seen and Experienced
Jul 17, 2017 3:07PM PDT

Walking and Texting is equally bad. Picture what I went through. Driving at 40 mph (limit) on a two-lane each direction street when texter thrusts herself across street against the red light so close to you that you need to swerve to miss her. It only takes a second from her appearing from behind parked vehicle. Then she doesn't even look up from her screen and "waves" in your direction as she continues texting and continues walking against the light. So, its not just a driving issue, in that sense.

I agree that anything distracting messes up your diving. I told my gf that I didn't want even her talking to me from the passenger seat. Kids in the back seat? Yes, distracting. Radio? Can be distracting.

Unfortunately, with all the studies and whatnot, lines have to be drawn somewhere and some states have to see how much they can push safe driving versus the voter behind the wheel. Eventually, people will revolt against the entire law. From what I see, many have already said **** the law and still run their cell phone lives from behind the wheel. My own experience is that if you see people swerving all over and not staying in the marked lane, slowing down, speeding up, you eventually see them using their phones while driving. "Almost always".

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One of the car manufacturers was developing such a device
Jul 8, 2017 3:31AM PDT

But I can't for the life of me, remember which one, may have been Ford.

Principle was, turn on the ignition, phones within the car stop. To make or receive a call, stop, turn off ignition. No idea how it worked to comply with the bans on such devices in many countries but if one manufacturer succeeds, the others will follow, especially if "encouraged" by government authorities.

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thought someone else would mention it but
Jul 14, 2017 3:04PM PDT

since you are the grandparent, there really is nothing you can do unless you have guardianship over the kid or permission from the parent or guardian. could violate some laws, even if the phone was given by them.

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Probably Not Legal in All States
Jul 14, 2017 3:47PM PDT

For example, in California, you can use your cell if you use it hands-free. If a cop sees your hand near your ear, you are gonna get stopped. Also, would prevent 911 calls allowed while driving (at least in California). Also would stop passengers from calling. Another example of car manufacturers creating stuff without checking with lawyers.

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LEgal issues are the worst!
Jul 15, 2017 1:33AM PDT

I agree with you, there will need to be legislation changes to permit these things but car makers' pockets are deep. But then someone will likely come up with one of your Constitutional Amendments that gives you the right to make phone calls anywhere - like your right to bear arms Grin . Likewise, I'm sure someone will come up with a reason why they must make a 911 call while driving, rather than stop to make it.

How did we ever manage when the only phone calls were made from a box beside the road?

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Managing
Jul 15, 2017 3:02AM PDT

Some times, we didn't really manage. If you had to stop to report a drunk driver who hit you the dude will be gone. Then, half the time those call boxes didn't work especially if it ran on solar. Each state is different.

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Sorry
Jul 14, 2017 3:49PM PDT

I meant that for a different post. Zouch's post. Not yours.

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Patchwork of laws makes a single tech solution trickier
Jul 14, 2017 5:40PM PDT

Part of the problem is that we are a nation of varying regulations regarding handsfree use, making it harder for a tech company to go to market with a single solution that will A.) answer a need that maps tightly to what the local laws ban and B.) interest consumers that are mostly at war with themselves in terms of wanting to use mobile services in the car while also knowing that causes distraction.

I don't know if the case was resolved, but Apple was being sued in a class action for failing to prevent in-car phone use, something the suit alleges handset makers can easily do:

https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-blamed-for-accident-sued-by-injured-driver/

It seems a simple thing to use some combination of GPS speed estimation and Bluetooth connection state to reasonably determine if a phone is in a car and then block much or all of its functionality. But, as some posters here have already noted, discriminating a passenger's phone from a driver's is tricky. And, in the case of a teen driver, you don't have a willing participant in the scheme.

Further progress may come from proposed federal regulations regarding brought-in electronics in the car:

https://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/rulemaking/pdf/Distraction_Phase_2_FR_Notice_11-21-16_final.pdf

In a nutshell, the feds want the auto and mobile industries to work together to make their products recognize each other in a robust way, determine if the mobile device is being used by a vehicle operator and then either block functions or make them extremely digestible via the vehicle's own interface, which is assumed to be safer than juggling a phone.

"Lock outs (would) include:
• Displaying video not related to driving;
• Displaying certain graphical or photographic images;
• Displaying automatically scrolling text;
• Manual text entry for the purpose of text-based messaging, other communication, or
internet browsing; and
• Displaying text for reading from books, periodical publications, web page content,
social media content, text-based advertising and marketing, or text-based messages."

I don't know where Keith T.'s granddaughter resides, but here in CA the rules are already much tougher than what the feds are only considering. Since January. CA has had an almost complete handsfree regulation, allowing only a single swipe or tap to activate voice mode. It is a primary offense unless, interestingly, you are a minor in which case it becomes a secondary offense you cannot be stopped for on its own

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=23124