Survey: 37% of Gen Y-ers Text While Driving

According to a new survey of 1,200 people conducted by Nationwide Mutual Insurance , a third of the Gen Y-ers admitted to "always multitasking while driving," and even more scary, 37-percent said they sent text messages while driving.

[via Switched]

Lufthansa trials mobile boarding pass

German national carrier Lufthansa is trialling a new mobile boarding pass service on two of its domestic routes, reports Cheap Flights.

"People who fly with the airline from Hamburg to Munich or Frankfurt can now request an electronic boarding pass via email or SMS text message when they check-in online.

The pass contains all relevant flight data as well as a 2D barcode which will allow passengers who are only carrying hand luggage to proceed straight to the security checkpoint upon arrival.

Following an eight-week pilot scheme, Lufthansa will expand the service to most of its domestic routes before exploring the possibility of rolling it out to international connections."

Air France in-flight calling tests begin: not so great

That Air France in-flight calling trial is now well underway, and it looks like there's still some kinks left to iron out.

The New York Timess hitched a ride on a recent flight featuring tests of the system, and found that things weren't quite working up to snuff: voice quality was said to be like "talking to a small robot," only six passengers could get a signal at a time, Blackberry email didn't work, and calls placed from the ground to cell phones in the air went straight to voicemail.

[via engadget.mobile]

Austrian city bans mobile phones on public transport

The Austrian city of Graz on Wednesday issued a ban on mobile phone use on public transport.

Graz's decision, which is highly controversial in Austria, makes the community the first worldwide to issue such a ban, Austrian media said.

Annoyed over the constant buzz and passengers sharing their life secrets on buses and trams in the southern Austrian town, conservative Mayor Siegfried Nagel issued a regulation demanding mobile phones be switched to "silent."

The regulation also banned loud music.

[via Top News]

Kids With Cell Phones Not as Safe Crossing Streets

Unintentional pedestrian injury is a leading cause of death in middle childhood, reports Washington Post reporting on a study that claims children who talk on a cell phone may not be able to cross the road safely.

Children who are distracted this way may be more likely to be hit by a vehicle or cross streets in an unsafe manner.

... In one study, seventy-seven children aged 10 to 12 were set up in a virtual-reality environment which simulated a street with traffic coming from both directions. Children stood on a platform (the "curb"). When they stepped down from the curb, an avatar crossed the virtual street in their place.

Children practiced the exercise six times while talking on a cell phone and six times while not talking on a cell phone.

"The children who were on the cell phone and were distracted during their crossing were significantly more likely to get hit by a car in the virtual environment," author Katherine Byington reported. "They were getting hit or almost getting hit at least [once], while the kids that weren't on the cell phone didn't get hit [at all]."

Related: - Chicago Lawmakers propose crosswalk cell phone ban

EU unveils plans to allow mobile phone use on planes

The European Commission introduced new rules on Monday to allow mobile phones to be used on planes via an onboard network. The AFP reports.

"Under the new system, air travellers will be able to receive and make calls and messages safely with their own mobile phones while flying all over Europe, according to the EU's executive arm.

However a commission spokesman stressed that the in-flight service was not yet generally available and so passengers should heed the advice of flight crews to switch off phones while in the air.

The spokesman, Martin Selmayr, said that the 27 EU member states have six months to comply with the new rules.

At the moment that luxury is limited to a very few travellers for fear of interfering with the aircraft's functioning. Some airlines, notably Air France, have begun tests on the system."

Air France launches in-flight calling trial

Not even half a year after Air France enabled passengers on its single OnAir-equipped Airbus A318 to send / receive messages and e-mail, the airline has went live with the second phase of the in-flight experiment.

As of this week, passengers will be able to make / receive calls on their mobile at 30,000 feet.

The trial is scheduled to carry on for three months.

[via engadget_mobile]

Lawmakers propose crosswalk cell phone ban

State legislators may pass a bill that fines pedestrians for using cell phones while crossing the street, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

"The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Kenneth Dunkin (D-Chicago), isn't anywhere close to becoming law, but it's drawing a host of reactions -- from outrage to ridicule to grudging acceptance.

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White says he's behind the basic concept of the bill, although he thinks it should only be used to punish those who use their phones while jaywalking.

... Mayor Daley has often said he's not a fan of government intruding into people's lives, but he did not slam the door Wednesday on the controversial proposal.

"People have to understand, a lot of people are getting injured and killed by cars in pedestrian walks," the mayor said. "It's a safety factor. So, like anything else, you have to use common sense if you're walking across.""

Workers on cell phones cost their companies big bucks in wrecks

Cellphones have spurred fantastic advances in business productivity and employee availability, allowing workers and bosses to stay in constant contact. A 2007 study says three-quarters of Americans use cellphones while driving. And a good percentage of them are surely doing company business. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.

But for all the work-related benefits, the devices also allow personal-injury attorneys to reach into companies' deep pockets.

Recent settlements and big-money cases nationwide have caused companies to move to protect themselves from financial liability. With increasing frequency, businesses are mandating that workers not use cellphones when driving or at least employ hands-free sets.

Read full article for details on lawsuist and settlements paid.

Don't drive distracted, says distracting ad

Spotted on AdFreak, a billboard in Wisconsin (above) warning motorists not to get distracted while driving which is itself getting criticized for being too distracting.

Saatchi New Zealand recently did a more creative safe-driving billboard campaign (below), which showed a succession of family snapshots on roadside ads clustered closely together. “Don’t let your life flash before you,” said the final boards. “Slow down.”

Ofcom approved mobiles on aircraft

The use of mobiles on planes flying in European airspace has been given approval by UK regulator Ofcom, reports the BBC.

"It has issued plans that will allow airlines to offer mobile services on UK-registered aircraft. The decision means that mobiles could be used once a plane has reached an altitude of 3,000m or more.

... The decision to offer the services now falls to individual airlines. However, there are other regulatory hurdles to overcome before the technology is considered to be fully approved.

The European Aviation Safety Agency needs to approve any hardware that would be installed in aircraft to ensure that it did not interfere with other flight systems. "

Car accident involving cell phone use reaches $5.2 settlement

Another reason not to drive and use your cell phone at the same time - besides devastating the many lives of the victims and their families in the case of an accident - it can cost you big time.

A $5.2 million verdict was recently reached in Fulton County, GA, in a personal injury case involving a car accident caused by cell phone use behind the wheel. The case was set for trial on March 17, 2008, but settled out of court. Injury Board reports.

"According to the complaint filed in 2006, an employee of International Paper Co. rear-ended Debra Ford, while talking on her cell phone. Her cruise control had been set at 77 mph in a 70 mph speed limit zone. The impact of the car accident caused Ms. Ford's car to overturn, which pinned her arm between the vehicle and the pavement. The plaintiff's arm had to be amputated just below the shoulder.

Georgia's cell phone statue states that drivers are not to do anything distracting while behind the wheel."

Cabdrivers Rally For Right To Use Cell Phones On Duty

Cabdrivers rallied Wednesday in Downtown Manhattan to call on the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission to allow drivers to use hands-free cell phones while on duty. NY Top 1 reports.

Currently, it is illegal for drivers to use a hands free kit.

"In all professions workers have some form of communication that they carry around,” said Bhairavi Desai of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance. “It could be their cellphone, it could be a walkie-talkie, a CB radio, - or it could be a telephone at their desk. Why are taxi drivers expected to work 12 hours a day, without any live communication, like a cell phone?”

"We should be allowed to use a cell phone, an emergency could be with any professional driver anywhere," said another woman cabdriver.

The TLC responded with a statement that said, "Unfortunately, cell phone abuse has resulted in many instances of drivers leaving their passengers feeling improperly served and downright unsafe, which studies agree is a true concern."

Related: Woman Chokes Out Cab Driver For Using Cell Phone - A city cab driver is back on the job after she was allegedly attacked by an unruly passenger who was angry she was talking on her cell phone.

Paper Is Out, Cellphones Are In

At least half a dozen airlines in the United States currently allow customers to check in using their mobile devices, but so far, Continental is the only carrier in the United States to begin testing the electronic passes. The New York Times reports.

Their boarding pass is an image of an encrypted bar code displayed on the phone’s screen, which can be scanned by gate agents and security personnel.

... The mobile check-in may well be the first step in direct communications between airlines and passengers as they travel. Ultimately, Henry H. Harteveldt, a vice president with Forrester Research, said he expected airlines would use mobile messaging to communicate with passengers about on-board services, rebooking options, baggage pickup and ticket purchases.

“It’s clear that mobile is the gateway to how airlines will interact with their customers in the future for almost anything,” he said.

OK to drive and use cell phone as ear warmer

A German lorry driver escaped a rap for driving while using a mobile phone - after claiming he was using it as an ear warmer. Ananova reports.

"Walter Klein, 43, told the court: "I had an earache and it was being made worse because the cab had not heated up yet - it takes a while on a big rig.

"So I grabbed the phone that had been on charge and put it to my ear, and that was when I was stopped by police."

The court accepted his claim after he produced an itemised telephone bill proving he had not been using the phone at the time he was stopped."

Text driver jailed for bike death

Another reminder, not to text and drive. It can ruin too many lives.

A motorist who was texting on her mobile phone when she hit and killed a cyclist has been sentenced to four years in prison. The BBC reports.

"Jordan Wickington, 19, died from head injuries when he went through a red light and was struck by Kiera Coultas' car in Southampton in February 2007.

Judge Jeremy Burford also banned her from driving. "The serious part of your conduct was that you were sending a text on your mobile phone having just received one," he said.

Sgt Alyson West, of Hampshire Constabulary, said the ruling would hopefully discourage others from using their mobile phones while driving.

"Today's sentence will not bring back Jordan Wickington. However, it will hopefully help to deter drivers who continue to flout the law by using their mobile phones while driving.

"The answer is quite simple - don't use your mobile phone and drive. Nothing is so important that it can't wait until you stop or arrive safely at your destination."

Woman in fatal crash was texting

Another reminder not to text and drive. From the SFGate

"A woman who crashed into a line of cars at a construction site in Shasta County and killed another driver was sending text messages on her cell phone at the time, the California Highway Patrol says.

A CHP report says Deborah Matis-Engle of Shingletown was driving 66 mph and text-messaging just before the crash in August.

Matis-Engle, 48, pleaded not guilty Monday to manslaughter charges in Shasta County Superior Court.

She crashed into the car of 46-year-old Petra Monika Winn at the construction zone, just east of Redding on Highway 44. Rescue crews were unable to pull Winn from the burning wreckage."

Cellular Flies High

After years of ordering travelers to switch off mobile phones, European airline operators are embracing these devices -- and the extra revenue they can bring -- by installing new technology on board that makes it safe for passengers to use their own handsets to make calls and send emails and text messages. The WSJ reports.

... "By taking a cut of the earnings, Ryanair says it will be able to use some of the proceeds to keep fares low. Passengers' onboard calls will be priced at about the same cost as an international cellphone call, says AeroMobile's Mr Coiley. In contrast, passengers can pay more than $4 a minute to use an onboard satellite phone, according to an airline official."

Continental to Add Wi-Fi, Satellite TV to Some Planes

Continental Airlines said it will offer in-flight satellite television and Wi-Fi Internet access beginning in January 2009 through an agreement with LiveTV LLC, a unit of JetBlue Airways Corp. The WSJ reports.

"The Houston-based airline said the programming will be available on U.S. flights at every seat on next-generation aircraft. Satellite television will be free in first-class, and will be available to economy-class customers for a $6 fee.

In addition, Continental said LiveTV is testing Wi-Fi connectivity services that will allow access to email and instant messaging. LiveTV's Wi-Fi service would give customers the ability to use Wi-Fi enabled smartphones, BlackBerrys and laptops.

Unlike the satellite television service, Internet access will be free for all passengers, said Continental public-relations director Julie King."

Three plane passengers arrested for not turning off their cell phones on board

Police arrested three passengers on an Alitalia flight after they refused to switch off their mobile phones, according to Italian media on Sunday. mathaba.net reports.

"Captain of the flight, about to take off Saturday from Milan, asked three times for passengers to shut off their phones after he found the aircraft navigation system was affected by cell phone signals.

But the three passengers failed to comply with the request, leading to captain's decision to abort take-off.

Police boarded the plane and arrested the three identified by the flight crew. They are confronted with the prosecution for violating safety regulations and will face up to three months in jail if found guilty.

The incident delayed the flight for one hour and a half."

Related incident: - ATA Airlines Passenger Arrested for Using an iPhone in Flight

More states cracking down on phone use while driving

Add Oregon and Washington to the list of states that now officially frown on yapping while driving. Washington already banned the idiotic practice of texting while driving last year, and will ban handsets altogether (except for handsfree devices) this July.

See also Jalopnik's Map of Cellphone Laws.

[via engadget:mobile]

Report Critical Of Cell Phone Ban On U.S. Planes

While passengers worldwide are allowed to use their mobile phones during flights, the United States remains closed to the idea, consequently causing travelers to be less productive, according to a report released Monday by Freesky Research via Information Week.

"The Federal Communications Commission put a rest to the idea of allowing mobile phone use during flights last year.

The FCC is concerned that mobile phones could disrupt other radio communications on planes. But Freesky Research contends that after testing mobile device interference with cockpit communications and navigation equipment for the last five years, and with systems now installed on passenger planes, there is evidence that mobile phones can be used in-flight without harm."

"As long as the United States maintains its current policy banning cellular antennas from being used on jets, it is allowing other countries to leap ahead with in-flight productivity, while facing mounting evidence that there is no safety benefit to passengers," said David Gross, chief analyst at Freesky Research."

Jalopnik Offers Map of Cellphone Laws

Jalopnik has put together this easy-to-read color-coded map of cell phone laws in the United States. [Gizmodo via SMS Text News]

"Looks like California, Utah, Washington, New York and New Jersey have completely banned using your handset without a hands-free device, while Texas only requires handsfree for teenagers and bus drivers."

Cell phones slow traffic

Cell phones have been blamed for a lot of things before, but slowing traffic is a first!

The Chicago Tribune reports that "motorists who talk on cell phones drive slower on the freeway, pass sluggish vehicles less often and take longer to complete their trips, according to a study that showed cell phones not only make driving dangerous but cause delays."

NPA seeks to ban cyclists from using cell phones

A panel for Japan's National Police Agency is recommending prohibiting bicyclists from using cell phones or wearing headphones while riding. The Daily Yomiuri Online reports.

"The report says bike riders should not use cell phones or wear headphones that prevent them from hearing external sounds. "

Teenagers Driving and Texting

A survey this year by AAA and Seventeen magazine found that 46 percent of drivers 16 and 17 years old said that they text-message while driving. Scary.

[via NY Times]

Air France tests in-flight mobile phone use

Air France-KLM has started the first trial in Europe of the in-flight use of mobile phones, reports the FT.

"The service has been introduced this week onboard an Air France A318 operating on short-haul routes in Europe.

Initially passengers will be able to send and receive text and picture messages as well as e-mails via phones with internet access. In the second stage of the six-month trial passengers will be able to make and receive phone calls."

Don’t Drive and use Mobile Phone in Britain

Motorists caught talking or text messaging in Britain face hefty fines and jail timeunder guidelines due to be published today. In the most serious cases drivers caught using a cell phone can be charged with dangerous driving which carries a maximum punishment of two years in prison and an unlimited fine to be determined by a court.

[via Mobile Crunch]

Federal lawsuit filed over Chicago's cell phone ban

A civil rights lawyer thinks he has found a fatal defect in Chicago's ban on talking on a cell phone while driving. The Chicago Tribune reports.

"The city has failed to post the prohibition on signs in violation of a state statute, contends a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday, which seeks the refund of hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

... The suit was filed in federal court on behalf of a Chicago man who was ticketed in May and proposes to be a class-action on behalf of thousands of motorists ticketed for talking on the cell phone while driving.

Attorney Blake Horwitz is demanding that the city scrap any tickets outstanding and refund almost $2 million in fines collected since the ban went into effect in 2005. Motorists who have been pulled over in Chicago should have been properly forewarned of the ban on cell phones, he said.

Experts have slammed the lawsuit. The city's ordinance doesn't conflict with any state law and therefore does not have to be posted publicly, they said. "

CellCoach, the (loud) deterrent to texting and driving

CellCoach Technologies has come up with a solution to discourage teenagers from texting while driving: The CellCoach cell phone deterrent.

The CellCoach installs permanently underneath a vehicle's dashboard and is powered by a standard electrical connection to a negative ground and the vehicle's positive ignition power supply.

It activates when a teenager’s (or older driver's) cell phone receives or sends a call or text message in a vehicle. The CellCoach emits a high pitched beeping sound that stays on until the cell phone’s activity ceases or it is turned off.

[via Press release]