The rightful push to limit, and one day, eliminate distracted driving, has been in full force for years. The use of smartphones and their seemingly endless capabilities has only increased the number of distracted drivers. Whether it’s texting, talking, choosing music to play, scrolling social media, shopping or browsing the internet, drivers heads and eyes are down, which means they aren’t looking at the road.
The following smartphone apps, designed to promote safe driving; to help drivers keep their eyes on the road and limit distracted driving crashes.
Complete Safe Driving Apps
- Kruzr
- While it’s still in the development stage and not available in the United States, look out for the all-inclusive driving mate in the future. If successfully developed, this voice-controlled app does what you want it to do: handle communication and help you safely reach your destination. Kruzr would assist you by automatically detecting that you are driving and open a navigation tool.
- Kruzr would also act as a communication assistant. If a message is urgent, Kruzr will connect the call. Phone calls and texts that Kruzr deems as “normal or unimportant” would be shown to the driver when the vehicle has stopped. The app can also play music and analyze your speed, traffic concerns, weather and other external factors that cause distracted or unsafe driving.
- Drivesafe.ly (Andriod Only)
- This app is a one-touch wonder. Drivesafe.ly is set up to turn on automatically when your phone is in use. The app will announce callers by their name, read your text messages and emails aloud and can respond on your behalf, alerting those who want to communicate with you, that you will respond once you’ve reached your destination. Another app similar to drivesafe.ly and available to android and Apple users is called Drive Smart.
Apps that block texting while driving
- Cellcontrol
- Teenagers may not like it and may see the app as overbearing, but Cellcontrol could be a worrisome parents dream. It is subscription-based, but if chosen, it completely blocks your children form receiving or sending texts and emails and using the camera anytime the vehicle is in motion, whether they are driving or not. This is possible due to a small device placed under the vehicle’s dashboard. If the device is shut off or removed, the device sends the parent text or email alert. A similar app that prevents texting and emailing, but does not require a subscription or device placement is called Drive Safe Mode.
- Live2Txt
- This app puts the driver in control, not the parent. If you trust yourself and for parents, your children, to act responsibly behind the wheel, consider Live2Txt. The app allows the driver the ability to suspend incoming messages and phone calls while driving. When turned on, the app silences the driver’s phone and sends automated messages to the sender.
Distracted driving is an issue that leads to thousands of crashes and fatalities per year in the United States and worldwide. It’s also important to point out that distracted driving does not only include smartphone use. Actions like eating, changing clothes and applying makeup are also distraction methods. Not all drivers are at fault. Some drivers are very defensive behind the wheel.
