Exploring 5 Apps That Aim to Prevent Distracted Driving
Next time you’re driving down a two-lane road at night, carefully watch each driver as their vehicle passes by. Notice how many of the drivers’ faces are aglow with the bright white light of a cell phone screen. You’ll be shocked by what you see. Distracted driving - particularly from smartphones - is a problem that needs aggressive solutions.
The Lowdown on Distracted Driving
“Distractions, such as cell phones, cause nearly 3,500 traffic fatalities and 400,000 auto injuries annually,” Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC reports.
For those doing the math at home, that amounts to an average of 10 deaths and 1,100 injuries per day. That’s a shocking statistic that reveals just how serious of a problem distracted driving has become.
While not all distracted driving involves smartphones – things like eating, using in-car entertainment features, glancing at GPS navigation, and reaching into the backseat are all partially to blame – it’s one of the major contributing factors. Dealing with it head-on could serve to prevent hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries per year.
5 Apps to Prevent Distracted Driving
There’s a multitude of possible solutions for preventing distracted driving – particularly when it comes to cell phones. As of last count, 20 states now have hand-held cell phone bans in place, while 48 states ban text messaging for all drivers. On top of that, 38 states ban all cell phone use by novice or teen drivers.
So while things are clearly headed in a positive direction, cell phones are still distractions for those behind the wheel. Additional layers of protection will further reduce fatalities and injuries. Mobile apps are some of the most noteworthy solutions.
“To help us all be safer, less-distracted drivers, some apps can block cell phone features—including texting while driving,” Verizon Wireless explains. “Others will encourage you not to text or help you receive or send messages in a way that’s perhaps less distracting.”
Here’s a look at some of the top apps available:
If you’re looking for a well-designed, intuitive app that kills distractions while still allowing you to retain some functionality of your phone while driving, Drivemode for Android should be a top consideration. The streamlined interface helps you safely access your favorite applications with large button sets, voice-control, and single tap moves. Favorite apps like Waze, Spotify, and Facebook Messenger can all be integrated into the system.
Drivemode Dash is the iPhone equivalent of Drivemode for Android. The focus is on voice commands and minimizing distractions when shifting between navigation, music, and messaging.
3. LiveSaver
This solution is one of the top-rated apps for iPhone. It deters distracted driving for individuals and fleet drivers by locking the applicable device when the vehicle is moving. While it does allow for emergency calls, there are few other exceptions. It’s one of the few foolproof solutions on the market.
4. SafeDrive
SafeDrive is one of the more feature-rich distracted driving solutions available. It’s particularly appealing to parents of teenage drivers, as it offers features for both parties.
With SafeDrive, both the child and the parent install the app. The app automatically monitors speed, location, and texting behaviors while driving. Parents can monitor the data and even get notifications when the driver exceeds posted speed limits or texts while driving. Though there aren’t any features that lock/prevent texting while driving, the objective is for drivers to learn these behaviors by being held accountable for their actions.
5. OneTap
This simple app doesn’t have a ton of features, but what it lacks in depth, it makes up for in quality and functionality. OneTap detects when you’re driving and atomically silences all alerts and notifications. It replies to income calls and texts to let people know you’re driving and then allows you to respond once you’ve come to a stop. The app also has excellent monitoring features that parents can use to keep an eye on driving teens.
Become Part of the Solution
It’s easy to look at others and shake your head when you see people texting and driving. However, chances are you’ve recently been distracted by your cell phone, too. Instead of shifting blame, we need to look in the mirror and confront our own shortcomings.
By using one of the apps mentioned in this article, you can overcome the temptation to use your phone while driving and do your part to contribute to a safer society.
