Your Phone is Locked. Just Drive.

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April 28th, 2010

The statistics on distracted driving are pretty scary. Just making cellphone calls increases your chances of crashing by four times; sending text messages increases the risk 23 times.

If you’re a concerned parent or employer, therefore, you may want to consider fighting technology with technology. There’s a new category of cellphone apps made just for this purpose.

How do they know when you’re driving? They rely on your phone’s GPS to calculate your speed. If it’s more than five or 10 miles an hour, it’s pretty clear that you’re no longer walking. You’ll know when the software is in effect: your screen is covered by a “MESSAGES BLOCKED” screen. Incoming calls go directly to voice mail; incoming text messages don’t appear until you stop driving.