LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwired - May 21, 2013) - CTIA - Cobra Electronics Corporation (
According to Distraction.gov , the official U.S. government website for distracted driving, distracted driving is any activity which diverts a person's attention away from the primary task of driving, including texting, cell phone use, adjusting the radio or other dashboard controls, or using a navigation system. In 2011, 387,000 people were injured in a car crash due to a distracted driver.
The Distracted and Risk-Prone Drivers Report put on by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety , found that roughly two-thirds of licensed drivers said that driver use of hand-held cell phones was somewhat or completely unacceptable, but more than half said that hands-free device use behind the wheel was somewhat or completely acceptable. This statistic is consistent with the fact that over 71 percent of respondents agree that hands-free devices are somewhat or much safer that hand-held devices. Cobra has carefully researched and identified the key factors that contribute to distracted driving, and that knowledge has gone into the development of JoyRide, in hopes of helping to reduce the number of accidents, injuries and death associated with distracted driving.
Cobra JoyRide connects to a vehicle's 12V receptacle for hassle-free access to a smartphone and presents an auto-response feature, which automatically responds once to any inbound texts and calls, informing the recipient that the user is driving. This feature grants drivers the ability to keep hands on the wheel and eyes on the road at all times. Along with the auto-response feature, Cobra JoyRide enables the driver access their contacts, launch voice commands, play and control music and access navigation apps or other in-car applications with only the touch of a button.
"Distracted driving has become an issue of epic significance as more and more of today's drivers leverage their smartphones for a rapidly increasingly diverse set of purposes. Though smartphones offer a plethora of benefits in today's society, they have become an incredibly dangerous distraction behind the wheel and a source of hundreds of thousands of accidents each year," said Sally Washlow, president of Cobra Electronics. "Cobra JoyRide is a simple and highly affordable solution to one or society's most pressing concerns and we are confident this breakthrough product can simplify life behind the wheel, resulting in lives saved and many accidents averted. All of us at Cobra are honored to play a role in helping to protect the lives of young adults, and making our roads safer for everyone."
The Cobra JoyRide was named as 2012's best safety product by Techlicious during the Best of CTIA Awards program. Products were based on an assessment of their benefit to the consumer, innovation, value, and product availability. The JoyRide was also recognized in the Automotive & Safe Driving Mobile Apps category of CTIA's annual Emerging Technology (E-Tech) Awards competition in 2012, which honored the most innovative new wireless products in 15 categories spanning the areas of mobile apps, consumer electronics, enterprise and infrastructure.
Pricing and Availability: The Cobra JoyRide is available at Cobra.com and Amazon for a retail price of $39.95.
About Cobra Electronics: Cobra Electronics is a leading global designer and marketer of communication and navigation products, with a track record of delivering innovative and award-winning products. Building upon its leadership position in the GMRS/FRS two-way radio, radar detector and Citizens Band radio industries, Cobra identified new growth opportunities and has aggressively expanded into the marine market and has expanded its European operations. The Consumer Electronics Association, Forbes and Deloitte & Touche have all recognized Cobra for the company's innovation and industry leadership. To learn more about Cobra Electronics, please visit the Cobra site at www.cobra.com .
Follow Cobra on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CobraElectronic and Like Us at www.facebook.com/CobraElectronics .
Media Contacts: Rebecca Kufrin Skyya Communications (952) 746-1309 Email Contact www.skyya.com Chris Kooistra Cobra Electronics (773) 972-0691 Email Contact www.cobra.com
