High-Tech Devices Help Drivers Put Down Phone

ZoomSafer is a free service that uses a phone's GPS sensors to determine whether it is at driving speeds, and then disables the cellphone until the car stops. Of course, there is a simpler, no-cost solution to limiting phone use while driving: the off button. But going cold turkey is hard for many Americans who have become addicted to their gadgets. And so technology companies are trying to solve a problem caused by technology with more technology. But the solutions reflect markedly different answers to a simple question: How much can drivers be trusted? One group of companies assume that some people know they can't help themselves, and therefore want a service to automatically disable their cellphone when it is in a moving car. But other companies say the habit can be made safer with hands-free technology. Ford and Microsoft, for example, are selling systems that rely on voice commands to dial phones. Hands-free devices are far more popular. But it is cellphone-muzzling technology that has caught the eye of large auto insurers. That's because some studies show that talking on phones while driving is dangerous, even if the driver is using a headset and has both hands on the wheel. One insurer has even said it will offer discounts to customers who use a call-blocking service.