Teen Safe Driving Apps

There are many mobile phone apps that are designed to encourage safe driving:

Zoom Safer

Zoom Safer is a program that can be downloaded onto a phone. Once installed, it disables the device’s ability to send and receive calls, texts, and emails on the road, in order to avoid deadly distractions. It works by using the phone’s GPS function to detect when a car is traveling faster than 15 miles her hour and then locks the phone’s screen and keypad, except for emergency calls such as 911. If the teen tries to delete the software, a notification is sent to the parents. It costs $2.99 per month or $25 to purchase the software outright. Other companies are developing similar products, such as Drive Assist by Aegis Mobility and Key2SafeDriving by Safe Driving Systems. These type of phone locks are perhaps the most useful teen driving safety device, preventing one of the biggest killers to teen drivers.

Sprint Drive First

Another program that locks your teen’s phone when her car is going more than 10 m.p.h., sending incoming calls to voicemail with a text message that she is driving. Allows 3 emergency numbers to be programmed to circumvent the block. $2/month.

Teenage speedster

Uses GPS to alert parents when their child is in a speeding car. Available for iphone, iPad, iPod touch, Blackberry and Android. $2

DriveSafely

A program that reads text messages aloud without the driver needing to touch the phone, and includes the option for a customizable auto responder. This app is free for iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and Windows mobile devices.

Phoneguard drive safe

This app blocks incoming texts and sends a reply while the car is moving, and even delivers a Google map link indicating the location and speed of the vehicle. Allows 911 calls. Available for free on iPhone, Android and Blackberry devices.

Car Parental Control

Allows you to follow the position and speed of your teen’s car, tracking her route onto a color coded map. Available on the iPhone, Ipod touch and iPad, $2.

Speed Bump

This app monitors your teen’s performance behind the wheel by sending you updates on her driving skills and patterns. Available on Android devices, $10/month.

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