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A California man is challenging Apple for failing to install an iPhone lock-out device that could protect highway users from distracted drivers.
Plaintiff Julio Ceja is taking defendant Apple Inc. to task for failing to equip iPhones with a “lock-out device” that would prevent motorists from texting while driving. Without such a device in place, he says Apple promotes distracted driving leading to widespread loss of life, limb and property.
According to Ceja, the practice of texting while driving is a problem of epidemic proportions, resulting in “massive carnage” on the road. He says the use of mobile phones by drivers accounts for 26 percent of all U.S. accidents, according to a report by the National Safety Counsel.
He also cites research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that says drivers who text while driving take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds while sending or receiving a text.
“At 80 miles per hour that is the equivalent of driving 539 feet – or nearly two football fields – blindfolded,” according to this iPhone lock-out device class action lawsuit.
Furthermore, he claim the problem of texting while driving is so widespread as to put millions of persons on the road in danger. Based on statistics from the Department of Transportation, he estimates that 1.5 million drivers are texting at any given moment.
As a result of such widespread distracted driving, Ceja says, 16 Americans die every day at the hands of texting drivers.
Ceja says he was the victim of one such distracted driver. While stopped at a stoplight on a California highway, Ceja says he was rear-ended by a driver who was looking at her iPhone instead of paying attention to the road. The wreck caused damage to his vehicle and injury to Ceja’s back, he claims.
In this iPhone lock-out device class action lawsuit, Ceja puts defendant Apple on the spot for failing to address this problem, even though the company has a technological solution in hand.
In 2008, he says, Apple applied for a patent for an iPhone lock-out device that would disable the phone under certain conditions, such as when the user is simultaneously driving a car. The patent application was granted in 2014.
But despite having that technology available, Apple simply refuses to implement it in iPhones. As a result, iPhone users remain free to text while driving, putting millions of other drivers and passengers at risk, Ceja says.
Ceja is proposing to represent a Class of “all California residents whose safety has been put at risk” by Apple’s failure to install an iPhone lock-out device from the time Apple began selling iPhones through the present.
He seeks a court injunction that would stop Apple from selling iPhones in California unless and until they are equipped with an effective iPhone lock-out device. The proposed injunction would also require Apple to install such a device on all existing iPhones.
He also seeks reimbursement of court costs and attorneys’ fees, and any other relief the court sees fit to grant.
Ceja is represented by attorneys Jonathan A. Michaels, Kathryn J. Harvey and Kristen R. Rodriguez of MLG Automotive Law APLC.
The Apple iPhone Lock-Out Device Class Action Lawsuit is Julio Ceja v. Apple Inc., Case No. BC647057, in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles.
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20 thoughts onApple Class Action Says iPhone Lock-Out Device Could Save Lives
even though we shouldnt text drive or talk on the phone if a compaany has an device that can prevent that why not make it useful.
How can the device distinguish whether the user is a passenger or not?
Frivolous lawsuits like this is a major problem in this country… this is like suing seatbelt manufactures for someone that gets injured while not belted in… how about suing Nike because my shoe came untied and I tripped over the shoe lace and broke my arm… Absolutely ridiculous!!
Ceja and the attorneys firm should both be ashamed of wasting taxpayers money with GREED as this in our court system
EXACTLY !!!!! You said it all. People need to take responsibility for their own choices instead of always finding a way to blame someone else. This sort of case should never have reach the courts in the first place.
Wow ? you can’t blame apple for an idiot that decides to drive and text! Gtfoh this makes no sense just like drinking and driving people should use phones responsibly. That’s it!
Apple just makes the phone. They didn’t tell you to use it while you’re driving, nor is it their responsibility to make sure that you don’t. I’ve never owned an iPhone but a lock-out device like that would make sure that I never do get one.
This man is crazy people should know not to text and drive should we stop selling cigarettes or alcohol we know people can drive drunk or die of cancel or stop airline flights cause we know planes can crash guess he’s hard up for money what a loser this lawsuit should be dropped immediately people are being allowed to sue for anything lets sue the auto manufacturers since their could be accidents
Wow!!!! People are now taking things to the next level. As an adult it should be your responsibility to know that you should not be on your phone while driving. It should not be the company responsibility. I hope that he loses this case. This is just ridiculous.
We have so many irresponsible drivers in this country that if Apple had the option to make this available, they should. It would save many lives.
Think about if you could conduct an experiment and make separate highways for people that would like to take the risk and text and drive and for others that would be locked out of from texting while driving. You would be surprised how many people would pick the safe highway. I know that I would pick the safe highway every time even-though I am no angel (I have sent a text once or twice while driving). Now I bet another thing you would notice is that on the other highway where people were allowed to text, you would see so many more crashes that their numbers would naturally go down and then accident rate would naturally go down (there won’t be many people to crash with). The experiment would go through waves of people, and ups and downs, but what I think is the truth is that if the technology was available, I am sure that many people would use it to make our roads safer.
Now I am not sure if this guy really cares about the safety of others or if he is just after the money, but if I was hurt because of someone’s negligence I would definitely want them to pay, and certainly ask whomever could help with the issue to step up.