The sight of an idling police car on the side of the road is enough to make any driver nervous. Even if you're traveling at the speed limit, passing by a radar gun can be nerve-wracking. Motorists may have to get used to this feeling, however, as a recent innovation resulted in a radar gun that lets police know if a driver is texting while driving. 

Is texting really that big of a problem? 
In short, yes. The Federal Communications Commission reported that text messaging while driving increases the risk of a crash by 23 percent. Additionally, about 11 percent of drivers ages 18 to 20 who were involved in an accident admitted to sending or receiving texts at the moment it happened. 

To prevent this type of distracted driving from becoming more of a problem, 44 states have banned texting behind the wheel, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Enforcing these laws is difficult, however, which is where the new invention comes into play. 

How does it work?
According to The Virginian-Pilot, the gun senses radio frequencies coming from cellphones inside a car. The device can even distinguish between texting and making a phone call, but it is not able to read what type of data is being transferred should an individual be using a smartphone to complete a different task. Although this device isn't being mass produced quite yet – and it still needs legal approval – there's a good chance it could be used on the roads in the near future. 

What can you do? 
Can you do anything about the texting radar gun? Probably not, but a good place to start would be to put down the phone when you get behind the wheel. The next step is making sure the car you drive has plenty of safety tools and other features that help you out on the road. 

It pays to shop around for the right car. At New Jersey State Auto Auction, for example, you can search through hundreds of Carfax-certified cars, trucks and vans to find the one that meets all of your needs. Maybe it's a subtle color that police won't pay as much attention to, or perhaps it has new technology that allows you to listen to messages without taking your hands off the wheel. No matter what, finding a vehicle with extra safety features – at an affordable price – can make a huge difference.