Texting and

driving
Texting and driving
 Automobile accident fatality rates have increased dramatically
in the last two years, with mobile phone use most likely the
culprit. Between texting while driving, or using apps like
Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter or other games, there is plenty to
distract drivers who insist on using their phone while on the
road. The company Cellebrite, a mobile forensic company
most well-known for cracking the encryption on the iPhone of
one of the San Bernadino terrorists, has come up with the
solution for texting and driving. Cellebrite has developed the
“Textalyzer,” would give police officers the ability to access a
driver’s phone after a crash or traffic infraction to see if they
were using the device in the time leading up to the crash or
traffic infraction to see if they were using the device in the
time leading up to the crash. The officer would plug the
Textalyzer into the driver’s cell phone and retrieve a history of
what they’ve been up to. While context of texts and searches
•A device that analyzes whether a driver was using
his or her phone during an accident.
What is the emerging ethical
dilemma all about?
 The Textalyzer would give police officers the
ability to access a driver’s phone after a crash or
traffic infraction to see if they were using the
device in the time leading up to the event. The
Textalyzer plugs into the driver’s cell phone and
retrieves a history of what they’ve been up to.
Cellbrite claims the content of texts and searches
will not be accessible to the officers, just
information about the time and length of usage
on the phone.
What factors or events led
to this dilemma?
 The ever expanding use of cell phones and other
mobile devices while driving, especially for
texting, endangers the safety of all motorists.

 From 2012-2016, 14 people were killed in New

York State, a crash involving texting is defined as
a crash where a contributing factor of texting was
reported on the crash report.
Why is it important to
question the moral and
ethical issues surrounding
innovations in science and
technology?
 It is important to question the moral and ethical
issues surrounding innovations in Science and
Technology so that people will be able to
understand the pros and cons of scientific
advancements. People would be able to know
how to use the devices, how it would help the
society to know the reasons why they are
invented or developed. Introducing new devices
will improve human conditions.
What are the social
implications of this dilemma?
 The stakeholders on the call stressed that the
law enabling use of innovations like the
Textalyzer would enable police to only access
actions that had taken place on a phone
immediately before a crash, not the content on
the device. In other words, officer could not see
what that text or email said.
In the face of this dilemma,
why is it important to study
STS?