After directly affected by distracted driving, one Mississippi man created something constructive from the experience. He developed a great tool to curb distracted driving.
It’s called Drive Smart
And though the product still is in its experimental stage, Drive Smart has the potential to make roads a lot safer for those with CDL driver jobs.
Ross Muller designed the prototype after dealing with a serious accident, he told Mississippi website WLOX.com
“The gentleman that hit me was a young driver who I believe was distracted by his phone, so it sparked my interest,” said Muller, who then decided to find a way to curb distracted driving among young drivers.
After two years of tinkering with his prototype, Muller thought of an idea that utilizes something in almost every vehicle.
The cigarette lighter
“It’s just a 12-point inverter. They’re very common when you use cell phone chargers or radio detectors,” Muller said. “It’s pretty much that right there, but it emits a Bluetooth signal.”
Once fully operational, Drive Smart makes it so that once a driver turns on the ignition, their smartphone loses much of its functionality.
“Once the drive smart device powers on, it’ll lock the cell phone. The only two things you can do on the cell phone is make an emergency phone call, or call the home phone,” Muller said.
Local law enforcement officials say Muller’s idea reduces distracted driving
“It’s a step in the right direction anytime you get a device to help with the young people to avoid having wrecks and fatalities. It’s a plus for us,” said Lt. Calvin Hutchins of the Pascagoula Police Department.
Currently, Drive Smart remains in the patent process. Muller plans to exhibit the invention to potential distributors at a conference this month.
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