Could a Smartphone Save a Life in the 2016 Toyota Tacoma?

Austin, TX (Law Firm Newswire) January 15, 2016 – Cars these days are almost as connected to technology as people. This could still spell accident looking for a place to happen though, as distracted driving is still a result of not paying full attention to the road, which happens while trying to respond to texts, etc.

It’s no secret that smartphone technology is becoming more integrated into vehicles on the assembly line. Take for an example the 2016 Toyota Tacoma, wired for voice recognition in support of smartphones. It does not support voice recognition for texting.

Cars are now being rated on whether or not they have such technology included. Who would have thought when the first cellphones came out that eventually a whole car could be wired to receive and send messages?

Currently, the technology appears to be hit and miss. The Tacoma does make calls via Siri voice recognition but does not send texts, and it does work with Bluetooth, but this feature is not always reliable. Clearly, as with any new technological innovation, the initial results may come with glitches. “While this is certainly exciting technological news, it is frightening at the same time for the doors it opens to potential fatal collisions,” said Bobby Lee, an Austin personal injury attorney.

According to a study done by the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University, shows reaction times with voice texting versus conventional finger texting are about the same — slow and dangerous. The fact that the Tacoma does not have voice recognition for texting may be the best thing that did not ever happen to the driver.

“Time and time again, various studies have shown that any distraction while driving can kill and has killed many Americans on the nation’s highways. When driving, keep your eyes on the road ahead and your surroundings and totally concentrate on doing just that. In the instant the driver uses technology, their concentration is shattered,” said Lee. When a driver loses focus on the task of driving, collisions happen.

For further information on driving while “intexticated” visit: http://www.textinganddrivingsafety.com/texting-and-driving-stats

To learn more, visit http://www.lgrlawfirm.com

Lee, Gober & Reyna
11940 Jollyville Road #220-S
Austin, Texas 78759
Phone: 512.478.8080

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