I caught a press release from NBC Bay Area announcing a mobile traffic camera service to San Francisco area residents.
The application “gives drivers access to live video from traffic cameras operated by the California Department of Transportation” (Caltrans).
Something about the service strikes me as an idea that didn’t go through enough vetting.
Randell Iwasaki, chief deputy director for the Caltrans is quoted in the press release saying:
The more information we can get to the driver, the better. An informed driver is a safe driver.
Conceptually that may be true; in practice, I don’t think this is the safest way to inform drivers. Fundamentally, does anyone else think that drivers maybe shouldn’t be looking at videos while they are driving, even if the videos are traffic related?
Let’s keep in mind that California is a state that requires handsfree devices when driving using a mobile phone.
It seems a little strange for Caltrans to say that it is too distracting to hold a phone to talk while driving, but scanning traffic cameras on a two inch screen makes a driver safer. NBC’s website tries to cover its butt, saying “check out the traffic on your favorite routes before you leave home” but I am willing to bet that most people will use it when they are already on the road. Let’s face it, if you are still at home, you’ll use your 14″ (or bigger) computer screen and the full Caltrans camera application.
I’m starting a pool on how long before the first liability law suit gets launched.
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