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Drivers who cause accidents when checking their phones on the road could soon be caught red handed, thanks to new technology being explored in the US.
Legislators in New York are examining a form of a breathlyser for phones, which would allow police to scan the device to see if it was in use when the crash happened.
A bill going before the state senate proposes “field testing” the new technology, with advocates claiming 67% of drivers use their mobiles despite being aware of the danger.
It has been reported that Israeli company Cellebrite is involved with development, having shot to prominence after supposedly assisting the FBI’s efforts to unlock the San Bernardino gunman’s phone.
Safeguards will be included to “protect essential privacy rights”, according to the bill, which would not allow officers access to the device’s content.
This would mean that the scanner would simply say whether the phone was being used or not.
It is hoped that the new approach will help establish culpability in road-traffic collisions, a task said to be “difficult” for law enforcement at present.
A driver’s licence would therefore be adapted to include “implied consent” for traffic police to examine any “portable electronic devices”, including phones, in the event of a crash.
It follows a lengthy campaign by father Ben Lieberman, whose 19-year-old son Evan was killed in such a crash, and his campaign group Distracted Operators Risk Casualties.
Evan’s Law, as the bill has become known, would be the first legislation of its type worldwide.
