Apps to fight distracted driving
May 9 2018 On Behalf of David M. Duree & Associates, P.C. Uncategorized
Distracted driving is a problem here in Illinois and across the country. With phones, smartwatches and even smart cars on the road, our attention is more divided than ever.
This habit is destructive and a danger to all motorists. Luckily, some applications are giving you tools to fight back.
Here are a few apps trying to keep our attention on the road:
Apple’s Do Not Disturb While Driving
This is not really an app but a feature built into every new iPhone. Do Not Disturb While Driving is a setting that mutes most notifications. Calls, texts and app notifications are silenced while music and GPS alerts still appear.
Your phone automatically sends a reply to anyone who texts you telling them that you are driving.
It also lets people bypass the Do Not Disturb feature by texting “urgent” to your phone. This ensures you won’t miss anything important while still reducing distractions.
LifeSaver
Using GPS, this app tracks every trip you make and stops you from accessing your phone while on the road.
It can also notify certain contacts when you’ve reached your destination.
The app even allows parents to set up rewards for their teens’ good driving behavior.
TrueMotion Family
TrueMotion Family scores your trips and gives you a driving behavior score.
This can be a competitive way to challenge friends or family to be safe drivers, as you can compare your scores with others in the app.
TrueMotion Family also allows you to set up profiles for family members. With these, you can see their location on the road in real time.
Mojo
Mojo is an app that runs in the background and tracks driving statistics on each trip. You are scored based on how often you interact with your phone.
For each minute you spend on the road without using your phone, you get a point. Once you reach a certain number of points, you can win gift cards from places like Amazon or Starbucks.
Distracted driving is a dangerous issue locally and nationally, but app developers are starting to address this behavior.
If you or someone you know has been injured by a distracted driver, consider representation.