Social Networking for Drivers?
With the extreme popularity of social networking, it should come as no surprise that a San Diego company has developed an application to connect people to each other-while they’re driving. Bump.com promises that drivers across the country can connect to each other using e-mails, texts and voice mail, all through a scan of their license plates. Security cameras on the roads take photos of license plates. The program scans and recognizes license plate numbers and matches them with e-mail accounts, mobile phones and location systems so that people are able to communicate. Even if an individual has no interest in being a part of Bump.com’s network, his or her license plate will be scanned if its image is captured. The program will then assign it an identity. If the individual doesn’t sign up for the network, he or she won’t receive any text or voice messages. Those who want the service will pay a nominal yearly fee. The initiative will operate as a membership program, offering discounts and promotions based upon the individuals driving location. Will a Social Networking App Reduce Driver Safety? Keeping in mind that distracted drivers can create a negative impression, owner and CEO Mitch Thrower explained that the program disables texting while the car is in operation and sends all messages to voice mail. This does not seem to take into account the prospect of an individual taking attention away from the road to text the message in the first place, perhaps encouraging distracted driving, which is dangerous as well as illegal in many states. While some could be concerned with privacy issues since the program compiles so much personal information, Thrower assures that the information retrieved is kept private and will not be provided to insurance companies. A filter also weeds out obscene messages and those that appear linked to road rage. While the application might serve a useful function, like allowing drivers to warn others of dangerous road conditions, there is a potential for the service to be used for nefarious purposes. For instance, Arizona law enforcement officials complain that drivers already use tools such as Twitter and text messaging to warn each other about DUI checkpoints, possibly increasing the number of drunk drivers on the road, which will only contribute to the problem of drunk driving accidents. While Thrower believes the technology can help law enforcement track down criminals, there might be greater potential for opportunistic criminal behavior using the application, which, unlike other social networks, allows immediate and potentially personal face-to-face communication.
Innovative Continuous Flow Intersections Improve Driving In Utah
Utah is quickly becoming a leader in the use of continuous flow intersections, known as CFIs, to cost effectively improve driving safety and congestion. In 2007, Salt Lake City became home to the fourth continuous flow intersection in the United States. Since then, a total of seven CFIs have been constructed along Bangerter Highway, with plans for an additional four CFIs to be built in 2013. How CFIs differ from traditional intersections CFIs improve traffic conditions by eliminating the “left-turn” phase required by traditional intersections. During the left turn phase, all other traffic must remain stopped at an intersection while cars turning left are allowed to turn left through green arrows. CFIs eliminate this phase by creating special left turn lanes for cars to enter prior to reaching the main intersection. Cars in the special turn lanes wait at an additional midblock stop light until they are allowed to proceed simultaneously with the traffic going straight. Although the process sounds complicated, studies show that most drivers find the CFIs relatively easy to adapt to. As the icy roads of winter advance on the state, additional benefits are realized: less car accidents on snowy roads. How CFIs benefit Utah drivers The use of CFIs benefits drivers in several ways. By allowing cars turning left to proceed at the same time as cars going straight, road congestion and time delays may be significantly reduced. In addition, CFIs may eliminate the need to add new lanes, provide a nice transition between intersecting highways, are less costly than other improvements and are simple for drivers to get used to. Potential drawbacks of CFIs are that they do require additional space for the turn lanes, need additional stoplights and may not be as pedestrian friendly as other types of intersections. So far, the Utah Department of Transportation, or UDOT, has mainly positive things to say about the CFIs currently in place in Salt Lake City. According to UDOT, there has been a 60 percent decrease in the number of traffic accidents at the intersection of 3500 South and Bangerter Highway since the installation of a CFI in 2007. The department also estimates that by keeping traffic moving the CFI saves Utah drivers approximately 800,000 gallons of gas each year. Like them or hate them, CFIs are here to stay. UDOT prides itself on using innovations in traffic control to improve driving and safety in the state. In addition to CFIs, drivers can also look forward to the addition of several flex lanes to Bangerter Highway in 2013. Although these projects may cause confusion at first, the hope is that they will improve traffic efficiency and safety for years to come. In the meantime, if you are injured in a car accident make sure to contact a Utah personal injury attorney to find out if you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.