Get Ready for Handsfree
Grab a Bluetooth headset so you’re prepared for Ontario’s new handsfree driving law that comes into effect on Monday, October 26th, 2009.
Love them or hate them, pretty soon, you’ll be seeing a lot more of them on drivers. With the new handsfree driving law coming into effect on Monday, October 26th, it will soon be illegal to drive and talk handheld with a cellphone. Other actions also being banned are the use of any electronic device to text or send/receive email and even programming the GPS system while driving. Ontario will be the 7th province to ban drivers from using their cellphones and other electronic devices while driving.
Fortunately, handsfree technology has matured in the past few years and there are a plethora of devices available for talking as well as text-to-speech email, such as the iLane. Most phone manufacturers have Bluetooth headsets to go along with the wide assortment of handsets they offer and other electronics manufacturers have continued to push the envelope in size [smaller], battery life [longer], and functionality & features [caller ID, noise-cancelling, wind-resistance, voice commands].
Add to this Bluetooth-capable GPS units, both aftermarket & OEM in-car systems, and the transition from handheld to handsfree is a little less cumbersome. Many Bluetooth headsets are also capable of pairing with multiple devices, reducing the hassle of setup and making it easier to use them everywhere.
Bluetooth is broken up into different specifications, similar to the older USB 1.0, newer 2.0 and the yet to be introduced USB 3.0. Each specification offers different functionality so it is important to purchase a headset that can handle your required tasks as well as to ensure that your cellular phone or smartphone supports the same Bluetooth specification as the headset.
| Bluetooth Specifications |
1.1
|
1.2
|
2.0
|
2.1 plus EDR
(Enhanced Data Rate) |
| Voice dialing |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Call mute |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Last-number redial |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Improved resistance to radio frequency interference |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
| 10-meter range |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| 100-meter range |
Yes
|
Yes
|
||
| Fast transmission speeds |
Yes
|
Yes
|
||
| Lower power consumption |
Yes
|
Yes
|
||
| Improved pairing (without a PIN) |
Yes
|
|||
| Greater security |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Bluetooth headset pricing varies widely, with the top-range units from makers such as Plantronics, Aliph or Jabra costing more than $100. These units are usually more ergonomic, stylish, have better sound quality and offer other features such as bone-conduction & noise-cancellation.
The important things to look for when choosing a headset are fit (everyone is different), comfort (crucial for extended use), battery life (standby & talk) and last, but certainly not least, sound quality (you don’t want to sound like a robot).
Visit your local electronics or wireless retailer and check out the latest offerings today, or safer yet, wait until you’re not driving to answer that call.
it’s not the driving using a cell phone thats the problem, it paying attention to the call, and not the road.
I agree. I wish the law was stronger, but then it probably wouldn’t have passed.
Back in 2006, a study was done that found no difference between handsfree or handheld: http://www.healthyontario.com/NewsItemDetails.aspx?newsitem_id=106
Another study on cellphones being more distracting than passengers in the vehicle: http://esciencenews.com/articles/2008/12/01/drivers.distracted.more.cell.phones.passengers
I totally agree with Cleebie and Jeremy. I sold cell phones back in the 80′s when they were relatively new and had free air time available to me. I talked to clients while driving and when I finished the call, I had no idea how I had driven. Always wondered if I had stopped at lights or stop signs. I had absolutely no recollection of the 10 or 15 minutes while on the phone. Now I watch drivers who are on the cell and they are all over the road and their speed is totally inconsistent.
Speaking or texting on electronic devices should be banned while driving.
Banning cell phone usage does not solve the problem. Educating the public on how to pay attention while driving is a better step. Are they going to ban changing CDs now as well while driving? What about drinking hot coffee while driving, doing make-up, eating, brushing your teeth, checking out the hot blond driving next to you, dogs in the front seat?
Instead of giving out “cell phone tickets” – let’s force those who cannot drive while talking on the phone to a an “education class on driving”. :)))
Good post Jeremy :)
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE with you G!!
Cell phones only magnify an already epic problem!! Most people don’t SEE enough to DO enough in TIME! They learned driving by themselves or many are ‘shooting from the hip’!
Driving is a divided attention task and most people think if they can move the car from A-B they are’driving’! Also many people boast of never HAVING a collision–but I bet most cannot say with confidence that they have never CAUSED a collision!! That’s where the ‘rubber meets the road’ {pardon the pun} and the difference between average drivers and above average drivers! Most are quick to pass blame on the OTHER guy! We teach our students to BE RESPONSIBLE for every action & reaction! Because at the end of the day–we are either part of the SOLUTION–or part of the PROBLEM!
Road RATS–Radical About Traffic Safety — We NEVER compromise safety for convenience! But we do teach REALISTIC driving in a REAL world!
Radically!! Happy Trails……………Martina!
Ps–Jeremy–I’m checking out your post next! :}:}
There are so many other things that could distract a driver. Singling out just cell phones will not help. Might as well ban people who are too tired and people who are emotionally unstable or grumpy. Your mood reflects how you drive. The radio is a distraction as well. Since this affects B.C., how many people smoke pot and drive? A favorite recreation is smoking pot and not rolling down the windows so you get more high, and reaction time is reduced significantly. People with anger problems go to anger management classes, so why not make people who cannot focus on the road due to cell phone use or lack of texting skills go to seminars. Although, most of the time I find, a friendly honk when someone is not paying attention due to cell phone use works just fine.
smoing pot while driving means your driving impaired which is against the law too, when your driving a car that’s the only thing you should be doing.