Should cell phones come with warning labels?

We all know that driving and texting while driving can be dangerous and the second annual U.S. distracted driver summit offered a range of ideas on how to deal with this problem. Some of these suggestions seem like good ideas and others seemed a bit odd.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood suggested that cell phones come with warning labels – similar to those found on cigarettes – which warns users not to use mobile phones while driving. This seems like a silly idea but I guess it couldn’t hurt.

I’ve been an on and off smoker for the last few years and that warning label on the package doesn’t do a thing to stop me. There is a similar cognitive dissonance with smoking as there is with using a phone while driving – we know it’s bad for us but the short-term benefits seem to outweigh the risks.

Because of this, I don’t really mind a little sticker on a phone box which says “don’t use this while driving,” or “use a headset while driving.” I don’t think it’s going to address the root causes but it couldn’t hurt.

Other solutions may have more immediate impacts, as there was a call for stricter laws on driving or texting while driving. Multiple states already have laws on the books and there is a movement for a national ban.

These laws also come with problems though, as these are incredibly difficult to enforce. I know I’ve sent a text or two while driving and there was no way law enforcement could have known it.

In the end, I think it’s going to be a combination of awareness programs, laws and new apps which can overcome, or at least mitigate, this issue. TextArrest has a good app which locks down the ability to send out text messages while driving and I expect many others to follow suit.

What do you think, friends?

[Via Associated Press]