TOP 5 ROAD SAFETY MOBILE APPS

It’s no secret that your phone can be distracting when on the road, but what if your phone could curb bad driving behavior too? These free RoadSafety Mobile Apps have great ratings on iOS or Android. They are sure to help you keep your eyes on the road and away from that text, email, phone call or comment:

LifeSaver (Free, iOS): With a 4-Star rating in the app store, the LifeSaver app is guaranteed to help parents monitor their teen’s distracted driving. It only allows Navigation, Google Maps, and hands-free calling to work when the app is in use. It notifies a loved one when their teen is driving and when they arrive at their destination. Parents can also set up monthly rewards if their teen is driving safely, such as iTunes.

EverDrive (Free, iOS & Android): EverDrive monitors driving habits and delivers diagnostics for review. Scores can be improved when the driver improves. The app picks up on driving patterns over time, so scores won’t be affected when in the passenger seat. Top drivers can win prizes, including $50,000 in scholarships.

Vodafone-saveLIFE Road Safe (Free, Android): This app will automatically disable notifications when driving speed is over 10kmph. The Road Safe app also has Road Safety tips and information on traffic fines and offenses. There’s also a one-touch dial for emergency services.

Down for the Count (Free, iOS): This app rewards drivers with gift cards and coupons for NOT using their phone, even as a passenger. A friend purchases the gift card and they’re earned after a certain time of no cell-phone use while driving.

OneTap (Free, Android) : OneTap will detect driving and then blocks notifications like calls and texts. If there is an incoming call or text, the app will notify others by text that you’re behind the wheel.

3 HONORABLE MENTIONS

While the five road safety apps we have discussed here are certainly among the most popular, they are, of course, not the only apps on the market. Every year, app developers and traffic safety groups are working to make new, better apps that help drivers stay safe wherever they are. In case you want more options to improve your driving safety through the wonders of a smartphone, we have three more honorable mentions you should know about.

Be sure to check out the following apps in the app store as well:

• DriveMode: Developed in part by a Tesla Motor entrepreneur, this free iOS and Android app tracks your vehicle’s speed without requiring you to actively use your phone. Once it detects that your car has reached 15 miles per hour, it will silence any incoming alerts, messages, texts, and notifications. Music and GPS apps are not silenced unless preferred. DriveMode can also be set to automatically send a reply to incoming messages, such as one that says something along the lines of “I cannot reply right now because I am driving.” If you are a parent, then you will especially like that DriveMode will notify you when its user – i.e. your teenager who just started driving – has turned off the app.
• TrueMotion Family: For no cost on the Android app market, you can find TrueMotion Family, an app that grades your entire family’s driving safety methods per trip. You can have everyone in your family download the app and join your family group. When starting a drive, whether it is across town or just down the road, the app can be activated. It will use various detection methods to determine if the driver is controlling their car correctly, and it knows when other distracting apps are being used. At the end of the trip, a score is generated that all family users can see. TrueMotion Family lets you turn safe driving into a fun competition!
• TextDrive  This Android app is a simple-to-use app that automatically sends responses to incoming messages while you are driving. You can customize the responses and choose who receives them. It is free to download but some of its more advanced features do require payments. Still, we think it is an app you will want to check out if you are looking for a new way to stop yourself from opening messages while driving.

We hope these apps can help keep you safer on the road. However, if you do ever find yourself the victim of an accident, call The Brothers in Law at (757) 599-6050.