How can I stop my teen from texting while driving?
Would you use a texting while driving app to prevent yourself from the temptation of text? How about to avoid a ticket or lower your insurance premiums? Would you impose a texting while driving app on your teen driver to keep them safe? Look out, because a texting while driving app arrived and it probably isn’t going anywhere. Texting while driving grows as a problem among government officials and road safety advocates. For years, the battle to ban texting while driving rages in every forum, from local schools to Capitol Hill.
At this point, telecommunications companies have given up lobbying against texting while driving laws. Instead, they have created campaigns to make their customers aware of the dangers of texting or using a cell phone while driving. One tactic they are using to raise awareness and help prevent customers from texting while driving is the release of a texting while driving app.
Texting While Driving is a Growing Problem
Research shows that the act of texting while driving decreases response time at least as much as having a blood alcohol level of .08, the legal limit for driving while impaired in most states. Heavy fines are imposed on those who are caught driving while impaired by alcohol, but fines for driving while texting or using a cell phone while operating a vehicle are generally minimal.
It seems that the law has not yet caught up to the smart phone technology that has led to an increase of accidents and vehicular deaths caused by distracted drivers. Despite laws passed by 39 states that ban the use of a cell phone while operating a vehicle, there is some indication that texting while driving is actually on the rise. In fact, some government officials have called texting while driving a growing epidemic.
Texting While Driving App
It is hard to resist the urge to answer the phone or read a text message while you are driving. That is where mobile carriers and safety advocates think a texting while driving app could be the answer for responsible drivers. There are several such apps available at minimal or no cost that you should consider for yourself and your family.
Consider these:
- Drive Safely is an app that prevents texting while driving in the least intrusive way currently available. It uses what it calls “iSpeech” technology that allows your phone to read text messages out loud in real time and respond automatically so you do not have to touch your phone. However, you must activate this application manually, so it is not entirely fool-proof.
- AT&T Drive Mode is offered by AT&T and is a part of their larger texting while driving prevention campaign called It Can Wait. In September AT&T joined forces with the DOT and the FCC to call for an end to texting while driving. You must manually enable Drivemode, but once in place it will disable your phone whenever it senses speeds of more than 25 miles per hour. At that time it will disable in-coming and out-going calls and send a customizable auto-reply letting texters know you are currently driving.
- tXtBlocker is a texting while driving app that allows an account administrator to disable a cell phone in various ways. Additionally, you can set up “No-Cell Zones” such as your child’s school. The admin is able to designate a “Safe list” of numbers that override the phone’s restrictions. It can also be used as a tracking device to find out where the phone (or your child) is located.
- Textecution claims that it is the ultimate texting while driving app. On the website it says the phones texting capabilities are “killed” at 10 miles per hour. However, it does not appear that it disables any function other than texting.
Future Texting While Driving Laws
Telecommunications companies have stopped lobbying against legislation that would ban texting while driving or mobile phone use while driving. Most states have already, or will soon be adopting laws against cellular phone use while operating a vehicle. If the problem of texting while driving continues as an epidemic, then states will continue to increase fines and penalties for those caught using a cell phone.
Texting in an App
There are many other texting while driving apps on the market and new ones are being released every day. If none of these seem ideal to you, try perusing your app store to find one that works for you.
It is possible that you may want a texting while driving app in the future just to save you from costly traffic citations. Texting while driving apps are currently voluntary and surprisingly, not widely advertised. However, such applications could become mandatory or come pre-installed on newly purchased smart phones in the future. Do you believe that texting while driving is an epidemic? Would you use a texting while driving app for your safety, to keep your teens safe? Or even just avoid a ticket or lower your insurance premiums?
Contact us today for more info.
Our office hours range from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and we also answer our phones at 844-977-1900 24/7. You can reach us through our online form or our LiveChat service. So don’t wait! We look forward to hearing from you.