Jabra and Zipcar Help Keep Boston Drivers' Hands on the Wheel

BOSTON, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Jabra, the world leader in innovative headset and speakerphone solutions, has partnered with Zipcar, the world's leading car-sharing service, to provide the Jabra CRUISER, a Bluetooth® in-car speakerphone, to lucky Zipcar members (called Zipsters) who are selected at random.  The promotion, which takes place through the month of October and will be running at each of Zipcar's 325 pick-up locations in Boston, coincides with the new Massachusetts safe driving law which went into effect yesterday.  Under the new law, texting and driving is now illegal.  The Jabra CRUISER is available at AT&T, Best Buy, and Verizon Wireless retail stores for a suggested retail price of $99.  

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101001/NE74724 )

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20101001/NE74724 )

Cell phone use while driving is just one of the many distracted driving habits that have become the norm in the U.S.  Jabra recently conducted a global survey to get to the root of the issue and found the most common harrowing driving habits include texting, eating, changing clothes, operating GPS systems and even yelling at other drivers.  To compound issues, only 32 percent of the survey respondents reported they're using a hands-free device.  The Massachusetts House Bill 4466 seeks to address a handful of these issues, by banning drivers from sending text messages from behind the wheel and by banning drivers under age 18 from using cell phones altogether.

"Massachusetts joins a growing list of states that have enacted laws to prevent distracted driving while operating a motor vehicle, and while the roads will ultimately be safer, we expect there will be some initial consumer confusion and frustration," say Jonas Forsberg, General Manager North America, Mobile Division, GN Netcom, Inc.  "Our partnership with Zipcar is to provide their customers with a friendly reminder about the new legislation and a safer communication alternative, which we hope will influence their behaviors when behind the wheel."

"Zipcar is committed to keeping our members informed of changes in driving regulations in Massachusetts and providing solutions that will lead to safer roads," said Dan Curtin, General Manager of Zipcar's Boston region.  "Distracted driving is dangerous and we encourage our Zipsters to drive with both hands on the wheel.  By partnering with Jabra, through the hands-free driving promotion, we are not only thanking them for driving with us, but we are helping them be safer on the road."

The Bluetooth speakerphone provided to lucky Zipcar customers at Boston pick-up locations is the Jabra CRUISER, a sleek device offering superior audio quality, a low-profile design, and in-car convenience, allowing drivers to keep both hands on the wheel in compliance with hands-free driving laws.  The Jabra CRUISER is the first speakerphone to feature Noise Blackout™ technology, a dual microphone system that eliminates street and traffic sounds while optimizing voice quality.  The Jabra CRUISER is also compatible with most voice-to-text apps on the market, making it easier than ever send and receive text messages and emails without having to touch a mobile phone.

The Jabra CRUISER is available at Best Buy, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T retail stores for a suggested retail price of $99.  For more information on Jabra's line of hands-free headsets and speakerphones, visit www.jabra.com or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jabra_us.  

About GN Netcom

Through its Jabra brand, GN Netcom is a world leader in innovative headset solutions. With around 850 employees and sales offices around the world, GN Netcom develops and markets a broad range of wireless headsets and in-car speakerphones for mobile users and both wireless and corded headsets for contact center and office-based users. GN Netcom is a subsidiary of GN Store Nord A/S.  For further information on the company, please visit www.jabra.com.

About Zipcar

Zipcar operates in urban areas and college campuses throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Zipcar offers more than 30 makes and models of self-service vehicles by the hour or day to residents and businesses looking for an alternative to the high costs and hassles of owning a car.

Zipcar and the Zipcar logo are trademarks of Zipcar, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information on Zipcar, visit www.zipcar.com.

© GN Netcom A/S.  All rights reserved. Jabra © is a registered trademark of GN Netcom A/S. All other trademarks included herein are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Jabra