Writing by Social Monsters
Remember how we used to use phones to talk to people? Now we use it for everything else, or at least that’s how it seems. Balancing your checkbook, paying bills, playing a game, surfing the Internet, there’s so much you can do with a smartphone. So why not use it for different emergencies as well? Here are just a few apps the can help prevent or deal with car accidents.
Preventing Car Accidents
A driver with a phone is four times more likely to get into a serious, if not fatal accident, claims Automotive Fleet. Statistics detailing horrific accidents caused by someone who was texting while driving have been released over and over, yet people keep doing it.
But, there’s an app for that. Textecution is an app designed to disable texting on the phone as soon as it recognizes that it’s traveling faster than 10 miles per hour. Texts cannot be sent or received during this time so you don’t have a choice but to focus on driving. It’s available for Android devices for $9.99.
Car Accident Navigation
There are roughly 10 million car accidents each year in the U.S. Because of this, apps like iWrecked have been released that help in case of one.
This app has many features that help to navigate a car accident. On the main screen you have separate labels such as Send Accident Report and Accident History. For example, if you get in an accident, you can take an unlimited amount of pictures of the damage and then send the accident report with the pictures to the insurance company. In addition, using GPS, the app provides you with nearby towing companies and taxis and gives you a fully detailed accident log to fill out. Plus, all emergency contact numbers are stored right on the screen.
For the future, the app is looking to add a Pro Version, which will include a GPS location of the accident and GPS maps that you can add to a report.
Road Safety
Built for iPhones, iRezQ is a road safety app that starts working when your car starts going over 15 miles an hour. Using adjusted algorithms and sensors already built into the phone, the app automatically monitors certain parameters and can determine if the person who has the phone was involved in a car accident. In that case, the app will notify emergency responders using its emergency alert system. It also can notify nearby traffic if they have the road safety app installed. And, of course, live operators are there to give assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This app is free at the iTunes Store
These safety apps also work for the occasional car accident that happens near water. If you frequently drive near the ocean or lakes, you might want to consider a water-proof phone in case of an accident. Using technology for games and bills is great, but make sure you have the right tools when it really matters.
