A new cell phone application prevents distracted driving, reports MarketWatch.com. The Sprint Drive First program automatically locks cell phones when a car is moving over 10 mph. Incoming calls go straight to voicemail, and text message and email alerts are silenced until the car is turned off.
Available at just $2 per month, parents can register an account and select which phones carry the the app. When the engine fires up and the vehicle travels more than 10 mph — determined by a high tech combination of GPS technology and cell tower triangulation — the phone locks up. The lock can be overridden in case of emergency, and 911 is always accessible.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 20 percent of injury crashes in 2009 were caused by distracted driving. Further, an estimated 18 percent of fatalities inwere related to distracted driving. And the age group most at risk for distracted driving wrecks? Under-20 drivers.
These scary statistics make this new app all the more vital. It’s a really great idea, and something all parents should consider for their new teen drivers. Teens may not like the idea at first, but distraction free driving is the only way to go. As a car accident personal injury attorney, I know all too well how quickly those distractions can turn dangerous. Consider using the new application for your teen driver.
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