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New service blocks phone use in cars

January 22, 2011|By Dave Roberts | KWCH 12 Eyewitness News

(WICHITA, Kan.) — Sometimes the simplest message can cause the biggest problems. Text messages seem to be one of the biggest distractions drivers encounter.

"There have been recent studies that say that if you're texting while driving, you are the equivalent of a drunk," said Mike Johnson of the Wichita Driving School. "It's very dangerous because you're taking your eyes and your attention off the road."

Cell phone companies are now starting to offer services that will automatically send incoming calls to voicemail and keep your text messages in your inbox, without alerting you that it arrived, when you're in a moving vehicle.

There are apps for the iPhone and Android that currently block texts when you're driving. T-Mobile recently started offering Drivesmart for some of its phones for an additional $5 a month. Verizon, AT&T and Sprint say they'll be offering similar services soon.

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"The message is not as important as getting to where I need to be, or my life, or someone elses," says student driver Jessica Crain.

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