A Virginia company is developing a device to make police work easier. Building on the ongoing efforts to eradicate distracted driving, the radar gun-like device by ComSonics works by picking up radio frequencies sent out from a vehicle when an electronic handheld device is used for texting, CNET reports.
According to a local newspaper, Virginian-Pilot, the company is expected to start production of the device soon but certain legal troubles need to be addressed before deployment. Malcolm McIntyre, calibration services manager at ComSonics, warned about the extensive nature of the device that can pick up the content of the texts, which the company is working on.
The gadget can also differentiate the frequencies coming out of a vehicle when the driver is texting or talking on the phone, which is legal for adult drivers in states like Virginia. Novice drivers are banned from using handheld devices completely while behind the wheel. Texting for all drivers is banned in most U.S. states including Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Washington.
Last November, the New York State Police were given 32 large unmarked SUVs to help troopers easily monitor drivers' behavior. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, during the daylight hours "660,000 drivers in the United States are texting, using cell phones or otherwise manipulating electronic devices," which resulted in 3,300 deaths and 421,000 injuries last year.
There are certain limitations to the honing device as it can easily confuse the signals coming from the car - whether they are from the driver's cell phone or the passenger's. But the violation is easily spotted in a lone driver.
