The world cannot ignore how technology changed and is continuously changing everyday lives. From connecting the world through social media apps to making lives convenient, technology has shaped actions and thinking. Although reliance on technology has so many undesirable effects, one cannot ignore the fact that technology has created so many things that help with daily ordinary tasks, One of which is driving.
Almost everyone owns a smartphone these days and there are thousands of applications to choose from. The apps out there are not all about just games and social connections, there are apps that are especially created to help roads become a safer place for drivers and passengers. There are basic apps that help maneuver traffic and provide directions and then there are also apps that enable and empower you to become a safe driver.
The use of mobile phones while driving is pointed out as one of the top reasons for road accidents and collisions. However, there are mobile apps that are created to help you become a better driver, without using or touching your screen. If you are curious about how mobile phone apps can help you get through your destinations safer, here are some of the more popular and highly rated ones out there.
Safedrive App
Safedrive is one of the most creative in the market when it comes to promoting road safety for drivers. The strategy of Safedrive is to reward drivers who do not use their mobile phones whenever they are operating their vehicle. It is a great app as it motivates and gives drivers another reason not to hold their mobile phone while driving, apart from safety of course.
How does this app work exactly? Safedrive app rewards drivers whenever they’re able to get from their starting location up to their destination without using their phones. No checking notifications, answering a call, tinkering with social media or sending an SMS. An anti distracted trip rewards drivers with points. Points can also be taken away from you once the app detects that you held and used your phone while still in transit.
The big question now is what can drivers do with these points? The points that you earn can be redeemed at partner establishments where you can get discounts for retail and dining. That’s right, you can get stuff for yourself by just being a disciplined driver. This is such a brilliant way of promoting road safety as the perks and discounts give drivers a reason to just concentrate on the road and not on their mobile phones.
Drive Safe.ly
When you ask drivers why they use their mobile phones while driving, one of the common answers is that they just need to read or respond to a very important SMS or email. This is a very common excuse because of today’s traffic and car volume on the road, it takes commuters so much time to get to their destination.
Workers are tempted to touch their mobile phones because of a very important email or call that they are expected and required to respond to immediately. Parents can no longer wait to come to a complete stop when they see their child calling as it might be an emergency. Drivers who use their mobile phones would simply tell you that they are left with no choice but to take their eyes off from the road because of these instances.
Drive Safe.ly is one great solution to these things as it helps eliminate texting and reading emails from drivers as the app itself will be the one to read them out loud for you. What it does is that the moment you receive a message, the app will read out loud these messages for you without the need for you to glance at your phone. The users of the app are pleased that it reads messages in a natural way and not the usual robotic voice. It also understands some difficult acronyms such as BRB (be right back) or LOL (laugh out loud). An add-on to the Drive Safe.ly app is that you can also create an auto-response and set it in such a way that it will forward your message to the message sender. For example, it can automatically send a “driving, talk to you later” to all those who text or email you while you’re on the road.
The app ensures that you have your eyes on the road at all times and it also allows you to stay connected even if you’re on your commute. Others would complain that they miss out on a lot of things as they spend so many hours unreachable whenever they are on the road and driving. With Drive Safe.ly, you will no longer miss out on anything. Best of all, it is so easy and convenient to use. Simply turn the ON button when you open the app to activate the read-out-loud the moment you start driving.
Driving 101
Driving 101 App is unlike the usual driving safety apps out there so it deserves to be given some spotlight. This app is all about giving you knowledge. There are so many things to remember and so many concepts to take heart when you want to master defensive driving. This app helps provide all the information you need on the road such as safety practices across different road conditions, defensive driving methods, emergency vehicle tips, and plenty more.
Driving 101 is created as a one-stop news feed for everything about driving safety. If you are one of those drivers out there who’ve been driving for years, it would be best to brush up on road safety tips every once in a while just to refresh your memory or emphasize what you already know. Driving 101 is the best refresher app. There is plenty of information in Driving 101 that you may also be learning and reading for the first time.
Rather than paying for a refresher course online to improve your knowledge about defensive driving, you can just download this app which also provides tips and up-to-date information on a daily basis. The information and write-ups are helpful and very interesting – some of the favorites include essential items needed in a car, tips on how to choose an auto repair shop for your car maintenance, and how to recover when you are in a skid during winter.
iOnRoad
iOnRoad app is one of the most impressive and most advanced driving safety apps today. It has been downloaded so many times and has received multiple awards. iOnRoad is basically an app that turns your smartphone into a collision-avoidance system. You know how high-end cars have functions such as motion detections that aid the driver when parking? These expensive cars also have collision avoidance systems that come with the hefty amount you pay for. With iOnRoad, even the entry-level vehicles can have access to collision avoidance technology.
To utilize iOnRoad, you would need to mount your mobile phone into your dashboard so the phone has the view of the road ahead. It uses augmented reality and uses your phone camera to see what is right in front of you. As you drive, the app captures what it sees live and calculates whatever information you have (including your car speed!) and alerts you if you are close to colliding. With this help of the app, you can hit the brakes in time as it will calculate everything and will tell you if you are too close. It warns you to slow down if you are speeding through audio and visual alerts.
Another impressive thing about iOnRoad is that it also monitors your vehicle’s alignment. It is able to detect if you are slowly getting off your lane, even if you don’t notice it. This happens if you get distracted or start to feel sleepy. As an additional feature, iOnRoad is able to detect speed signs as you pass them on the road. It can help you avoid that dreaded speeding ticket as the app will warn you if you are faster than the limit.
TrueMotion Family Safe Driving
TrueMotion app targets the parents, especially those with teens who have just started driving. It is an app that will allow you to see your whole family’s driving information and safety. This is every parent’s best friend as it will let you know the current location of your family member whenever they are on the road and if they have arrived safely to their destination. It will also inform you which road they’ve taken to get there. The best feature of this app is that it will give you data if your child has used their mobile phone while driving, as well as information on their vehicle’s speed and more. It’s like having eyes and insight on your child’s driving even when you’re not with them inside the vehicle.
You can invite other family members and even friends to your app family. The app also provides scores and rankings based on each member’s performance so you will know who the poor performers are and can do something about it. This app can help improve the driving of your “low performing” members. You can get the chance to mentor and reorient them on road and driving safety until you see their scores improve.