Vancom CEO Kathryn Loewen To Discuss Solutions for Dangerous Driving While Texting Epidemic on Canada AM Wednesday February 22
February 20, 2012
CEO of Vancouver based Vancom Mobile Consulting, Kathryn Loewen, will discuss the dangers of driving while texting and present some new technologies aimed at keeping drivers eyes on the road on CTV’s Canda AM Wednesday February 22 at 8:40am. Canada AM is the country’s most watched national morning newsmagazine.
Driving while operating a cell phone engages all of the three forms of distraction types: visual, cognitive, and manual. Essentially, drivers are looking at messages or updates on their devices, thinking about these inputs, and responding via the use of their hands. It creates a “perfect storm” for hazards to occur to the driver, and unknowing victims around them such as other drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
The risks of texting and driving are very well known. It is as much a social taboo as driving without a seatbelt and has legal consequences in many provinces. Yet statistics show the trend is on the increase and not the wane, even though a recent poll in the US points out that 91% of drivers feel they are more likely to get into an accident while reading or typing a text message. Smartphones today have the ability to receive message, updates, notifications, and countless other stimuli. Contact hungry users, particularly youth, are anxious to respond quickly to a status update on Facebook or text from a peer. A recent published report suggests that it is easier to resist alcohol and cigarettes than the lure of Facebook and Twitter. Another report from the US reports that last year 26% of all mobile phone users reported sending texts while driving. Over 50% of those ages 16 to 19 admit to texting while driving, which frighteningly is also the same years many teens start driving, are most prone succumbing to peer pressure, and also start experimenting with drinking.
Fortunately, the same appetite for apps that is causing this road chaos may in fact help to remedy the situation. Loewen will discuss some of these solutions including Apple’s recently launched personal assistant Siri, Vlingio an app that can complete most smartphone tasks for the user, ZoomSafer, a parental control to create a car “no-phone” zone and others.
Loewen notes, “Apps of this sort depend on the consumer willingly pairing their smartphone with a hands free ear piece or device. Whether or not this will become a trendy accessory with the fashion fickle youth remains to be seen. But this element is an important factor, whether it is cool to wear a handsfree while driving, cool to refrain from TWD etc.” She adds “I think kids also need to accept that it is also cool not to respond instantaneously to every text, message, update etc. There’s a certain coolness factor from letting your friends wait on you a bit and demonstrating you don’t need to respond to everything real time because you have other, more important things on the go.”
About Vancom Consulting:
Vancom Consulting is a specialized management consulting firm based in Vancouver with an exclusive focus on mobile solutions. Vancom assists businesses design, build, launch and monetize mobile apps to capitalize on the growing worldwide market of smartphone users. For more information please see http://www.Vancom.mobi
