In the time it takes to read a text message, you can drive the length of a football field at 55 MPH. That’s an illustration of why texting and driving have been made illegal in almost every state. While most people think they are safe drivers, most of us have questionable moments. How many times have you rationalized glancing at your phone for a second while driving? After all, it only takes a second to find that song or check the time.
Those momentary lapses of attention are usually harmless…until they aren’t. If you drive enough and use your phone while behind the wheel, an accident is eventually likely. According to Dozier Law, the most common causes of accidents are speeding and reckless driving, drunk driving, distracted driving, faulty car maintenance, and defective auto parts.
Fortunately, technology is constantly being developed to reduce the hazards of distracted driving. If you want to be safer when you drive, download one of the safe driving apps described below; it could save your life! And using one or more of these apps can keep your teen driver safe, too.
Why Download Safe Driving Apps?
Source: lifewire.com
The CDC reports that 10 deaths and 1,000 injuries happen every day in the United States due to distracted driving. Mobile devices aren’t the only cause of distracted driving, of course, but they’re a significant factor.
Parents also should strongly consider installing safe driving apps on their teen driver’s phone. Some additional sobering statistics from the CDC:
- 25% of distracted drivers in 2018 in the United States were under 29. Many were teenagers.
- Drivers between 15 and 19 were much more likely to be distracted than drivers over 20. Among fatal crashes in 2018 for drivers between 15 and 19, 8% were distracted at the time of the wreck.
- 9% of teens in 2018 killed in car accidents were distracted at the time.
- In 2019, 40% of high school students who drove in the previous month reported they texted or emailed behind the wheel.
- Texting and emailing while driving were as common among A and B students as those with lower grades.
- Teens who emailed or texted while driving were more likely to engage in other unsafe behaviors. These included not wearing a seatbelt, driving with an intoxicated driver, and driving while intoxicated.
Using one or more of the apps below can make you safer on the road, and may even qualify you for car insurance discounts. For example, if you possess a clean driving record, you could save 10% on your yearly insurance bill.
1. Down For the Count
If you need motivation to drive more safely, this app for Apple could be perfect. The app helps you establish a safe driving goal, send it to your key contacts, and ask them to support your safe driving effort. The app tracks your device when you’re driving, and when you reach your goal, you can use the funds you’ve raised to pay for a gift card or whatever you like.
2. Canary
Source: apptopia.com
This is a safety app for teen drivers. It doesn’t block cell phone use while driving, but it allows you to monitor when the teen unlocks the phone behind the wheel. Parents can see when the driver exceeds the speed limit. Also, you can set up a driving perimeter on the map and get a notification when the teen leaves this area. This is the feature that many parents love that makes Canary a big seller.
3. DriveSafe.ly
This fantastic app reads your texts and emails while you drive, so you never have to take your eyes off the road. It also has an automatic response function, with which you can reply by voice. This is the perfect app for busy people who need to know about messages that arrive while they’re driving.
4. Drivermode
Source: cnet.com
This Android app makes your phone screen simpler when you’re behind the wheel. As a result, you can more easily access vital functions without having to look away from the road. Drivermode lets you customize the contacts, apps, and widgets that appear on the simplified Drivermode screen.
It works perfectly with Google Play, Spotify, and other popular entertainment apps. This app is simple to use and has a simple interface and design. It’s a fantastic step forward for people who still want to use their phone while driving.
5. Drive First
This is a free app for Sprint customers. It senses when you’re driving and automatically locks your phone. However, it allows three of your most important contacts to reach you even when the phone is locked. Other contacts receive a text message that says you’re driving and cannot respond until later. The app also has a parental lock to ensure your teen drivers don’t text while they’re driving.
6. iOnRoad
Source: regmedia.co.uk
This app features augmented reality to show other vehicles on the road around you. Also, it employs a GPS, camera, and accelerometer to measure how far from you the next car in front of you is. If you drive too close, iOnRoad gives you a cell phone warning and an audio signal. This helpful app also will block emails, texts, and calls while you’re operating a motor vehicle.
7. Drive Safe
This is another app that takes attention from your phone by making it silent. Next, it auto-replies to incoming texts and calls. The app is a breeze to use and only takes the push of a button to activate it. This app is so easy to use it attracted the interest of the Prime Minister of Ireland, who recommends it to the country’s citizens. That’s a great endorsement!
8. TrueMotion Family
Source: play.google.com
This helpful driver safety app gives parents a total picture of how their teens drive. The app watches for risky driving maneuvers and also offers tips for better driving. For instance, the app measures how long the driver goes over the speed limit.
It also watches for how many sudden braking incidents there are during a drive. Sudden stops are sometimes necessary, but too many of them greatly increase the chance of an accident. The company website claims the app can reduce distracted driving by up to 75%. This product also lets drivers obtain safety points they can cash in for various rewards.
There are so many helpful apps to reduce the chances of distracted driving these days. This is important because we’ve seen such a significant rise in car accident injuries and fatalities from the use of mobile devices. We can only hope the technology will continue to improve, and fewer distracted driving injuries and fatalities will occur.
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