Through the Cell-All initiative directed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), cell phones could be equipped with sensors capable of detecting deadly chemicals.

How would they work? Cell-All would regularly sniff the surrounding air for certain volatile chemical compounds. If it detects, for example, a chlorine leak, a warning would be sounded for the user.

For potential catastrophes, such as a sarin gas attack, details, including time, location and the chemical compound detected, would be phoned to an emergency operations center.

All that — detection, identification and notification — would happen in less than 60 seconds.

If multiple phones send in an alert, emergency responders could get to the scene sooner and have a better idea where the chemical has already spread.

S&T is working with Qualcomm (a cell phone manufacturer that specializes in miniaturization), NASA and Rhevision Technology (a company that’s developed an artificial nose).

The goal is to get the cost down to a dollar a sensor and to develop it so it doesn’t wear down cell phones batteries.

Even though there have been some successful prototype demonstrations, it may take several years yet for the product to get to market. But Cell-All’s program manager, Stephen Dennis, says just as Bill Gates imagined a computer in every home, he imagines a chemical sensor in every cell phone.

Yes, you shouldn’t shave while driving — especially below the waist.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers say a two-vehicle crash on Cudjoe Key was caused by a driver who was shaving her bikini area while her ex-husband took the wheel from the passenger seat.

The car driven by Megan Barnes — with some help from Charles Judy — slammed into the back of a pickup truck.

Barnes allegedly drove another half-mile then switched seats with Judy. Then Judy claimed to be driving when the crash occurred. Barnes was driving with a suspended license.

The burns on Judy’s chest from the passenger-side airbag indicated he wasn’t driving. The driver’s airbag didn’t deploy.

Barnes faces multiple charges including reckless driving and the possibility of a year in prison.

Passengers in the truck were treated by minor injuries.

Trooper Gary Dunick, who responded to the crash, told The Citizen, “I’m really starting to believe this stuff only happens in the Keys.”

The NTSB also recommended that all commuter rail lines in the nation install cameras to monitor train operators.

The report says Metrolink engineer Robert Sanchez, who was killed in the crash, had sent 43 texts on the day of the collision, some of them to young railroad fans. He intended to sneak at least one of them on to the train later that day in violation of workplace rules.

The lead attorney in lawsuits against Metrolink said Sanchez’s employer knew he’d engaged in this kind of behavior before, but hadn’t disciplined or fired him.

The NTSB says the conductor of the Union Pacific train that was struck also sent and received text messages while on duty the day of the crash.

Metrolink has already installed cameras in many of its cabs and locomotives and has banned the use of cell phones by engineers.

NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman said the industry “must find a way to wrap our arms around the pervasive problem of transportation operators using wireless devices while on the job, whether that job is driving a bus, flying an airplane, or operating a train.”

Just days after the report on the train crash was released, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a ban on texting for commercial drivers of large trucks and buses. The ban is effective immediately.

What sorts of workers should be banned, for safety reasons, from texting and/or using cell phones at work? Let us know in the Comments Box below.

President Obama’s ban allows federal workers to use cell phones while driving if they have hands-free devices. There are also exemptions for certain law enforcement and national security employees.

Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood has called on businesses to lead through example by enacting employee policies for cell phone use while driving for work purposes. In a recent speech to the American Chamber of Commerce Executive Board, LaHood said, “Don’t send text, don’t use your cell phone, your iPod, or your Blackberry when you’re behind the wheel.”

The DOT has also just launched Distraction.gov, a Web site that pulls together all of the federal government’s information on distracted driving.

LaHood says the government is using every tool at its disposal, including technology and the rule-making process, to get a handle on the problem of using cell phones while driving.

What is the best way for the government to address this issue? Should it encourage use of technology that would make it impossible (or at least difficult) to use a cell phone while driving? Or should laws be enacted to make it a crime? Let us know what you think in the Comments Box below.

The National Safety Council (NSC) is advocating legislation to ban all types of cell phone use on the road, including hands-free usage.

Now, six states have bans on driving while talking on a hand-held cell phone: California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Utah and Washington. It’s also banned in the District of Columbia, and at least five other states have cities and towns with bans.

The organization acknowledges that it’ll take a long time to get all states to pass such legislation, so it’s also urging businesses to enact policies prohibiting the practice.

The NSC notes results of several studies to back up its call, including:

• Drivers are at a four times greater risk of a crash
• Cell phone use contributes to 6% of crashes, and
• The annual financial toll of cell phone-related crashes is $43 billion.

Anticipating some of the arguments against cell phone bans, the NSC admits other in-car activities are more dangerous than using cell phones. However, the group says as cell phone use has become so prevalent, it has become more dangerous overall.

Also, studies show that hands-free devices don’t make cell phone calls while driving safe.

What’s the difference between talking on a hands-free phone and speaking with someone else in a car? Unlike the passenger sitting next to you, the person on the other end of the call is oblivious to what’s happening around the driver on the road. The passenger provides another pair of eyes and can help keep the driver alert.

Do you think a total ban on cell phone use while driving is necessary? Does your company have a policy banning your employees from using cell phones while driving for business? Does that ban include hands-free usage? Let us know in the Comments Box below.

The NSC has set up a Web page with resources and data at http://distracteddriving.nsc.org.