We’ve all seen them. Drivers weaving and swerving, distracted by a phone call or trying to send a text message. Maybe you’ve even been that driver.

In recent years, lawmakers have struggled to keep up with technology that’s playing a larger and larger role in American lives. Many states have laws about phone usage while driving and to date, 30 states have outlawed texting while behind the wheel.

Massachusetts, the latest to do so, fines first time offenders 100 dollars and repeat wrong doers up to 500 dollars. Still, the chime of an incoming message is the sound of temptation for many drivers who will reach for phone, despite the danger and the threat to their wallet.

Boston based AdelaVoice says they’ve got the solution. The internet start-up created an application for Android phones called StartTalking. It’s free and once it is started drivers can send and receive texts via voice alone.

“When you want to send a text message you no longer have to touch or look at the phone. You just have to start talking which is great because you can turn the display off, put the phone in a safe place in your car and then still communicate using text messages the way you’re used to,” explains Chris Hassett, the CEO of AdelaVoice.

The app allows drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. The developers think their application is superior to other voice texting apps- such as Motospeak and Vlingo- because it’s completely hands free once activated.

“All the other applications out there require some level of at least a little peak or a touch of the phone to begin interacting and many of them require you to look at the phone to edit the responses. It’s just not safe when you drive,” says Hassett.

Some safety advocates argue none of the multitude of available options to communicate are safe for behind the wheel use.

“The bottom line is we don’t have any indication that any of these things are safe,” argues Jonathan Adkins, spokesperson for the Governors Highway Safety Association. “The driver is still distracted and the bottom line is hang up and drive. No calls, no texts, no facebook post is important enough to risk a crash.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration distracted driving caused more than 5,000 deaths in 2009, accounting for 16 percent of all road fatalities.

Despite the concerns about driver focus, the communication options for drivers are likely to continue evolving as tech companies strive to keep up with changing laws and make profits by keeping up with the changing needs and desires of users.

For information of cell phone and texting laws visit:

http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html