Cell phones have become an important part of our daily lives in today’s society. From communicating and keeping up with current events to sharing our lives on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, we constantly check our mobile phones—even when driving a motor vehicle.
The Dangers of Texting While Driving
Unfortunately, distracted driving injures or kills hundreds of thousands of people every year, mainly due to cell phone use. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nine people are killed in distracted driving crashes every day in the United States.
Teenagers are considered the most at-risk age group—with the highest fatality rate caused by distracted driving. Not only are they less experienced than other motorists, but they are more likely to text while driving, drive over the speed limit, and are less likely to wear seatbelts.
Apps You Can Use to Prevent Texting While Driving
Several app developers have created apps to combat distracted driving. So, instead of causing distracted driving accidents, your cell phone could be used to fight them.
The following are the most common popular apps to help prevent texting while driving:
LifeSaver
If you’re a parent worried about your teenager texting and driving, LifeSaver is a free app that gives you the power to lock your child’s phone while the car is in motion. LifeSaver blocks access to your cell phone while driving and alerts loved ones once you have safely arrived at your destination. In addition, commercial fleet managers can use LifeSaver to monitor the behavior of their drivers.
AT&T DriveMode
This app prevents the notification of incoming calls and blocks you from making phone calls and texting while driving. Once you drive more than 15 miles per hour, DriveMode can automatically start.
SafeDrive
This app disables texting while the vehicle is in motion, but it also has a reward system that enables users to earn discounts at various retailers. When you drive over six miles per hour, the app automatically awards you points. But as soon as you use your phone, you will lose all the points gained during the drive.
TrueMotion Family
For parents with teenage drivers, TrueMotion is a good option. If you are concerned about your child texting and driving, this app is designed to work with your family’s phones. It notifies where your family members are, how they got there, and how they drove. This includes phone use, texting, aggressive driving, and more.
DriveSafe Mode
This app has full parental and third-party monitoring of all phones under the account. The app notifies the account holder if a driver uses their phone while driving. This includes texting, calling, going online, or using social media accounts.
These free apps are available on Apple and Android phones, and with just a few clicks, you can have any of these free apps and start practicing safer driving habits.
Other Ways to Practice Safe Driving
In addition to using one of the apps mentioned above, there are several other ways to practice safe driving. Some of these include:
- Putting your phone in “do not disturb” mode while you are driving
- Asking a passenger to respond to texts and calls for you while you are driving
- Pulling over to a safe location if you need to text or call
- Avoiding using your phone while driving, even if you are not texting or calling
Texting and Driving Laws in Florida
It is important to stop texting and driving for safety reasons, but it’s also important to protect yourself from fines. In 2019, texting and driving became a primary offense in Florida. Your first fine is $30 and will increase with each additional offense. This allows law enforcement to issue tickets to people caught texting while driving.
Not only is texting and driving a primary offense in Florida, but if you are caught driving and texting, your car insurance rates could increase. Your insurance company bases rates on a formula that considers how likely you are to get into an accident, and according to industry estimates, texting while driving makes you 23 times more likely to get into an accident.
The Benefits of Not Texting and Driving
By not texting and driving, you are helping to keep yourself safe, but you are also helping to keep others safe. In addition, there are several other benefits to not texting and driving. These include:
- You will be less likely to get into an accident
- You will be less likely to get a ticket
- Your auto insurance rates will be lower
- You will be less likely to damage your phone
Contact a Car Accident Attorney Today
If you have suffered a serious injury caused by a distracted driver in Florida, contact our legal team at The Fran Haasch Law Group. Our attorneys are prepared to help you navigate the legal process and work toward securing the maximum compensation you are owed.
