Technical experts and the public in general will have a chance to "discuss" the distractions of in-vehicle communications technologies at an Internet Forum sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

NHTSA has invited researchers and technical experts to submit papers for inclusion in the forum, which will run from July 5 to August 11. Anyone interested will then be able to download the papers, ask questions about them, and relate their own experiences regarding the use of in-vehicle devices and the impact on safety and driving performance.
The Internet Forum will be open for registration on June 23 at www.driverdistraction.org. After August 11 the information will be available on NHTSA’s web site for viewing only.
NHTSA will also hold a public meeting July 18 where industry, government, safety groups and the general public will share viewpoints, information and recommendations regarding possible strategies to minimize potential adverse effects of driver distraction when using phone, fax, route guidance and similar devices. The meeting will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Room 2230, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, D.C. Participants should contact Rita Gibbons at rita.gibbons@nhtsa.dot.gov or via fax at (202) 366-5930.
Those interested in in-vehicle technologies may also want to attend the National Intelligent Vehicle Initiative meeting July 19-20 in Washington, D.C. That meeting, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation and administered by SAE International, will showcase traffic safety using intelligent vehicle technologies. Additional information is available at www.its.dot.gov.