3 apps to prevent texting behind the wheel
November 5, 2009 by Sam NarisiPosted in: Communication, HR Tech, In this week's e-newsletter - Tech
Does your company issue cell phones and other mobile devices to employees? If so, you may want to look into these devices that can prevent workers from texting while driving.
According to a recent study a crash is 23 times more likely to happen when drivers are texting than when they aren’t.
Despite that fact, a lot of people do it anyway — including employees with work issued cell phones, which could put employers in the hot seat in the event of a crash.
These three apps can be installed onto company phones to help stop unsafe driving:
1. Textecution
Works on: Android (apps for other phones are being developed).
Price: $1.99
Using the phone’s GPS, the program disables texting if the phone is moving faster than 10 m.p.h. One problem: What happens when the employee is on a train?
Works on: Android and BlackBerry. Apps for iPhone and Windows Mobile being developed.
Price: Free for “Basic,” $13.99 for “Pro”
This program reads text messages out loud while the user is driving. They can also set the phone to send an automatic reply when they’re in the car.
3. TXTBlocker
Works on: BlackBerry
Price: $24.99 initially, then $9.99 a month
This app also detects how fast the phone is moving, and will disable texting accordingly. It can also be set to block texting at certain times, but that’s more for parents who know when their kids will be in the car.
Tags: cell phone, safety, texting
November 10th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
The state in which I reside, NY has recently passed a law making texting while driving illegal. It’s well worth it if it saves even one life.
To me it is simply incomprehensible that we even need to spend money on developing laws on such things. Texting while driving is outrageously dangerous and it goes without saying, simply stupid. The fact that there are apps out there for sale or for a monthly fee is mindboggling. We shouldn’t have to apply apps or laws – what happened to simple common sense?
Do we have an app for that?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
We need an app for common sense, since it’s in such short supply these days.
November 11th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Wheres the app for blocking drive thru fast food?
November 11th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Almost any law can be described as “…well worth it if it saves just one life.” That phrase is blatantly false. Here are a list of other things we could outlaw that would clearly save at least “one life”:
* Make it illegal to eat beef
* make it illegal to be fat
* Make driving illegal
* Outlaw religion
* Outlaw leaving your house
* Outlaw pregnancy without a doctor’s permission
…
About the “texting while driving” apps, these are great uses of technology, but not quite ready for prime-time. You could handle the train problem by tracking your location against a map containing train tracks. But what about busses? Perpahs track against known bus schedules? No, then any car following a bus could send text messages. What about passengers?
I say let people be stupid and let the chips fall where they may. It’s the one thing we all do exceedingly well.
November 12th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
What if you are a passenger in a car? These sound like it will block passengers also.
November 16th, 2009 at 8:38 am
Vlingo is another option. This app let’s you text,e-mail, and search the web all by voice. Very cool app.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:32 am
What ever happened to just enjoying the ride? As a kid, our family used to take many camping vacations in different parts of the country. I loved looking at the scenery, the cars and truck, the people driving from one place to another. In fact, I still find myself doing the same whenever I am a passenger. Too many people are addicted to their phones and texting. Take a break from the phone. Enjoy the drive and the scenery. You will be amazed at some of the things you will see.
December 3rd, 2009 at 10:04 am
I agree with RandiG…it’s sad, but it just became a law in RI that you cannot text and drive. It’s sad that you have to lay it out for people…it’s like, “Don’t read a book and drive,” you’d think that’s agiven, however, I had the misfortune of riding in a cab in NY and the driver had a book in front of him the entire time!!!! Unfortunately common sense does not reign supreme in our society.
@ Mike, why would you want to sit back and enjoy a scenic ride, or go camping when you can do that online or with your Wii!?!? (obviously I’m being sarcastic, lol)
Another issue with people today, we’re a microwave nation. Instead of waiting to sit down and talk to a person, or even leave a message and wait for a response…we have to get the immediate response. We’re too quick…no one takes their time to enjoy life, that’s why we ask Kindergarteners to choose their career goal (because focusing on playing with toys or having nap time is a waste of time??)….::sigh::