Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Distracted Driving

Be Evil: Driving While Using Google Glass Should Be Legal, Says Google

2:39 PM EST on February 28, 2014

A San Diego woman had her distracted driving ticket overturned last month because a judge rules police couldn't prove her Google Glasses were on while she was driving. Photo: San Diego Union Tribune
A San Diego woman had her distracted driving ticket overturned last month because a judge ruled police couldn't prove her Google Glass device was on while she was driving. Photo: San Diego Union Tribune
A San Diego woman had her distracted driving ticket overturned last month because a judge rules police couldn't prove her Google Glasses were on while she was driving. Photo: San Diego Union Tribune

Google Glass: Buying one will set you back $1,500. It makes even the most attractive people look ridiculous. It may or may not be the future of mobile technology.

A handful of states are trying to get out ahead of any risk this product might present to public safety. Bills bubbling up in eight states would ban the use of Google Glass while driving.

Meanwhile, Google (corporate motto: "Don't be evil") is actively lobbying against such legislation in Illinois, Delaware, and Missouri. In Illinois, according to Reuters, Google has hired Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's former political director, John Borovicka, to try to defeat the measure. The Illinois legislature is expected to vote on it this spring.

California courts have already seen a case involving Google Glass. Last month a San Diego woman's distracted driving ticket was overturned because a judge ruled that police couldn't prove the device was on at the time.

Google has been arguing that legislation preventing the use of the technology while driving would be premature, since there are a limited number in circulation, Reuters reports. There are about 10,000 Google Glass devices being tested nationwide and they will likely start being sold to the general public sometime this year.

But regardless of how many Google Glass units are out there, the science on distracted driving is clear. Thousands of people are killed each year in the U.S. because of distracted drivers. People can't safely use hands-free devices while driving -- the human brain just isn't wired for multi-tasking. So why should states put lives at risk by letting people use internet-enabled eyewear while they're behind the wheel of a multi-ton machine?

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Monday’s Headlines Are For the Children

For the 1 billion children who live in cities worldwide, the streets are too dangerous for them to play outside.

December 4, 2023

The Explainer: What’s Next for Congestion Pricing?

Let's run through the major issues still looming over New York City's first-in-the-nation congestion toll.

December 4, 2023

How To Build a Car That Kills People: Cybertruck Edition

The Cybertruck represents a lot of what's wrong with the U.S. transportation system — even as it purports to address those problems.

December 2, 2023

Friday’s Headlines Don’t Feel the Need for Speed

Tell me again, which constitutional amendment is it that gives people the right to drive as fast as they want?

December 1, 2023

Komanoff: Congestion Pricing Fee Plan is Solid

Here’s what’s to like about the Traffic Mobility Review Board's central business district toll recommendations. It's a lot!

December 1, 2023
See all posts