Biggest Spike in Traffic Deaths in 50 Years? Blame Apps.

No surprises here. Every day I witness/experience the tell-tale signs of a click vegetable behind the wheel. I just pray they don't kill me or mine one day. The highway carnage has been spectacular.

nytimes.com: Biggest Spike in Traffic Deaths in 50 Years? Blame Apps

http://tinyurl.com/h7qrcu4

After steady declines over the last four decades, highway fatalities last year recorded the largest annual percentage increase in 50 years. And the numbers so far this year are even worse. In the first six months of 2016, highway deaths jumped 10.4 percent, to 17,775, from the comparable period of 2015, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Most of the drivers passing me doing the jersey-swerve on the highway are people holding their phones up to their ears to talk instead of using the hands-free or bluetooth.

I like the idea of speed/motion detection for apps. Similar to what Waze has done, forcing the user to specify if they are a passenger or driver before allowing changes during automobile motion.

I wonder if it would make a difference if the other social and texting apps on mobile devices could detect motion over a certain speed and restrict use? It may have made a difference for the snapchat speeding accident mentioned in the link.