October 31, 2017

In 2015, distracted driving accounted for nearly nine fatalities each day in the U.S., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. These distractions often stem from our smart phones. We’ve shared tips on how to reduce these distractions, by alerting friends and family that you will be unavailable, setting up your podcast or music before the wheels start rolling, or turning your phone off. Following these tips can help you and your passengers stay safe on the road, but that’s often easier said than done. Now the same technology that has been blamed for distractions behind the wheel is helping drivers be safer on the road, through new apps and built-in features.

Apple recently launched iOS 11, which includes for the first time a safe driving option. When initiated, the “Do Not Disturb While Driving” feature will detect when you are driving and will silence your incoming calls or alerts. It can even respond to calls and texts so that you can focus on the road. If you are an iPhone user and have not already updated to the new iOS, make sure to do so to try out Apple’s newest safety feature.

There are also apps on the market to help prevent distracted driving or improve driving behavior. All of the apps covered below have free versions and are available for download from the Apple App Store and Google Play. Take a look at a few that may help you, your employees or your family stay safe on the road.

EverDrive

EverDrive is a telematics app that tracks driving behavior just like an in-vehicle monitoring system, but through a user’s phone. It helps users improve driving behavior by scoring five areas: phone distraction, braking, acceleration, cornering and speeding. Using your phone’s GPS, the app detects when you are driving and tracks your behavior behind the wheel. You can compare scores with friends, coworkers or your family for competition.

EverDrive is developed by DriveWell, which also offers a mobile app solution that can be paired with a mobile tag for your vehicle to give further insight into driver behavior, and includes collision detection.

FleetSafer

FleetSafer is a mobile app that detects driving and puts the device in a safe mode when the vehicle is in motion. Employers can view individual or team driving performance and they can also receive real-time alerts. FleetSafer works as a standalone app using GPS, or can be paired with hardware for greater analytics.

LifeSaver

LifeSaver uses your phone’s GPS to track when your car is in motion and then sets the phone in safe mode. It blocks incoming calls and texts. Parents can download a free driver portal to help track their children’s driving behavior. It alerts parents if their child disables the app while driving, and provides feedback so that parents can reward safe driving performance. LifeSaver also offers a fleet management solution with an available 30-day free trial.

TrueMotion

TrueMotion tracks your driving trips and its free family version allows you to see your family members’ trips as well. Users are scored and have the chance to earn rewards for their safe driving. TrueMotion also offers Mojo, a free app that awards points when you drive safely which can be redeemed for cash or prizes.

Remember that texting and driving is illegal in the state of Texas as of last month. Hands-free devices are allowed but Texas Mutual advocates phone-free driving, because research shows that hands-free devices are still distracting. Safe driving is something that we take seriously and we want to do our part to help you reduce the number of traffic-related claims. We have a no phone policy for our own employees and installed in-vehicle monitoring systems in our company fleet. You can find more safe driving tips for yourself, your family and your employees in the safety resource center of your texasmutual.com online account, including e-Learning training modules on safe driving and defensive