Safe way to receive texts when driving

Driving with your hands at 10 and 2 can’t be done when you’re also trying to text.

“Texting and driving is probably the number one item not only on parents minds, but people who are on the road, police departments’ mind. It just takes a second to take your eyes off the road to get yourself in trouble,” Palm Springs Motors general manager Scott Simmers said.

In an effort to keep eyes on the road, Ford offers the sync program. It originally came out in 2007, but since then, “Now they have actually put a piece into the Sync system to where if someone sends you a text and you accept it, it will read the text to you,” Simmers said.

Studies show you take your eyes off the road for at least 5 seconds when you read a text. That’s about the time it takes to drive the length of a football field.

We all know we don’t always need to respond to a message right away. Some texts you just need to hear.

“A lot of times it’s not conversational texts. Someone is maybe giving you a direction, or they’re late. You can just hear it and be done with it,” Simmers said.

The system can’t voice your response back – yet.

“I don’t think that’s too far off. On some of the phones, with the iPhone for example, you can speak to it instead of text. That’s another way you don’t have to take your eyes off the road and see what you’re typing,” Simmers said.

Many options for people to ensure a safe arrival.

“If I’m a parent, and I have my kids that are new drivers or teenagers, it’s something that really gives you a piece of mind that these kids can use this system instead of texting on the phone itself,” Simmers said.