Texters beware
More than 88 percent of drivers surveyed admitted engaging in distracted driving caused by texting, e-mailing, surfing the Web or talking on their cell phones, according to obdEdge LLC. When asked “If given the technology to block the use of cellular phones while operating a vehicle, on which of the following would you use the technology?” 27 percent said themselves, 23 percent said their spouse or significant other, 28 percent said employees, and 65 percent said children. Seventy-three percent said they consider driving while texting to be just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated. Baton Rouge, La.-based obdEdge makes the cellcontrol device, which uses the automobile’s onboard diagnostic computer and phone/device software to stop texting, e-mailing, Web browsing and phone use while operating a vehicle.

Brain fitness for senior drivers
Posit Science says that seniors who use its DriveSharp™ “brain fitness” software reduce their at-fault crash risk, double their visual processing speed, increase their useful field of view, and improve their reaction time sufficiently to increase stopping distance. The software, which is geared to drivers 60 years and older, includes two computer-based exercises. The first, Jewel Diver, challenges the user to track hidden jewels moving around the screen (to improve the ability to monitor multiple moving objects). The second, Road Tour, challenges the user to locate road signs and identify other cars along the way (to widen the user’s useful field of view). (www.PositScience.com)

Cash for commuting
It might not be cool for field sales reps, but it’s not a bad idea for your kids who are driving to work this summer. Los Angeles-based Altavert Alternative Advertising will pay commuters up to $300 a month to allow the company to place advertisements on your car. The program, called Cash for Commuting, works like this: The driver (right now it’s limited to those in Southern California and Nevada) inputs information on their vehicle and their daily commuting route into an online form. If the locations match what a particular advertiser is looking for, Altavert installs the ad and starts paying. According to the company, the vinyl adhesives used on the ads actually protect cars from rocks, bugs and dirt. Also, ads placed on the rear windows are perforated and do not impair the driver’s vision, according to the company. Check it out at www.cashforcommuting.com.

Magellan RoadMate® available from the App Store
The Magellan RoadMate App is said to provide users instant access to Magellan’s OneTouch™ interface, including: vehicle and pedestrian routing, in-app music control, native address book integration and turn-by-turn guidance including Text-to-Speech. App and maps are stored on an iPhone or iPod touch device, allowing navigation to continue even when no cellular coverage is available, according to the manufacturer. The RoadMate App is available from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch devices, or at www.itunes.com/appstore.