It’s finally happening. After years of road accidents caused by inattentive drivers using their smartphones while in their cars, the matter is now being addressed directly by U.S. regulators. Instructing smartphone makers to block apps like Pokemon Go and Snapchat while vehicles are in motion, Uncle Sam is calling for a timeout on irresponsible users.
Right now, the biggest smartphone companies that are selling products in the U.S. are being asked to implement “driver mode” on their gadgets, The New York Times reports. This is in order to cut down on the number of fatalities attributed to driving while distracted with smartphones, secretary of the Transportation Department, Anthony Foxx explained.
“Your smartphone becomes so many different things that it’s not just a communication device,” Foxx said. “Distraction is still a problem. Too many people are dying and being injured on our roadways.”
The new settings would work much like “Airplane Mode” or “Flight Mode” where the smartphone would still be turned on, but many of its features that are risky during the transit are deactivated. During driving, the feature will basically lock the apps once it is detected that they are being used while driving, which is something that driving safety advocates have been pushing for.
According to data accumulated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the first half of 2016 saw deaths caused by highway accidents rise by 10.4 percent. At 17,775 in total, this is equivalent to 100 fatal accidents on a daily basis.
As The Verge points out, some of the features that will most likely be affected by these recommendations if they are followed by smartphone makers will include apps like Snapchat, YouTube, or the infamous Pokemon Go gaming app. Other major social media apps will be restricted as well, including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram as these are considered to be the most distracting smartphone features.


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