CellCoach Annoys Teenage Drivers Until They Get Off the Phone
According to some studies as much as 80 percent of teenagers report talking on the phone while driving and over 40 percent admit to texting while behind the wheel. The question is: How do you train your teenager (or anyone else for that matter) to put the phone down while going from point A to point B? A company called CellCoach thinks they have the answer.
CellCoach is a small device that mounts under the dashboard of a car and uses the standard electrical connectors found there. What does CellCoach do? When it detects an incoming or outgoing call or text message inside the car, it emits a high pitched and quite annoying tone that doesn't end until the cell activity subsides.
We do have reservations about actively annoying a person in control of a couple of tons of steel traveling over 30 miles-per-hour. The other downside of this device is the price tag. At $199 it is cheaper than installing a video camera and monitoring your child's every move, but that's still a bit steep for something that detects radio waves and emits a skull-piercing shriek. The adventurous do-it-yourself-er could probably build a similar device for about $50.
From Textually.org
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
hunt @ Dec 14th 2007 8:15PM
So why are you giving cars to teens anyway? I think most parents do it b/c it's convenient for THEM - so they don't have to arrange transport or be the carpool. Wise up people - teens don't need cars! They especially don't need phones and cars. Let em walk or let em stay home and clean the house! Give them responsibility that leads to freedom, not freedom that leads to irresponsibility! My kid won't drive or ride with another teen til she's 18. If she wants to date then he'll date her at my house only! Sure she can go places supervised by adults, but not without. Wise up people and remember what you did everytime the adults were gone. Keep your kids close and safe - they'll grow up soon enough, then they can do what they want. 18 is NOT grown up! Put forth the energy it takes to RAISE and guide and supervise your children. I know we're all busy, but get other adults in on this and we can all help each other. Just think about it.
TPSD @ Feb 28th 2008 2:29PM
I agree that texting is absolutely stupid while driving or for any reason anytime. However, I don't see the need to not allow teens that have proven they can be responsible to drive a car. Since the inception of the car (make that post WWII) cars are a part of the high school experience and working for them taught us all who had to buy our own cars and maintain them the valve of money and savings. It is true that more familys with higher incomes, ( I live in N. California) give their kids cars that are too powerful and are too expensive. This is the parents fault of course so I do agree with the comment made above. But the fact is that its not practical to punish the masses for the stupidity of the few that go to far to spoil their children. Believe me when I say that what comes around, goes around and the foolish parents who do not watch their spoiled children on cell phones or speeding with have serious lawsuits when these kids hit or kill someone in a car.