Today’s new drivers have had smartphones for close to six years by the time they earn their driver’s license. Cellphones are so significant in their lives that they’re spending an average of nine hours a day staring at screens. When you look at the rates of distracted driving and see that over half of all U.S. drivers use their cell phones while driving at least once a day, you wonder, will your teen be in the minority or the majority?
Thankfully, affordable technology is here that can put some of your worries aside. As you’ve likely seen or heard in car ads, many vehicles come with some variation of teen driver software. Don’t have a car with the software? There are fantastic apps for a relatively small purchase price.
Software
Nearly every auto manufacturer is attempting to compete in this teen driver market. This competition is driving improved technology.
Built-in software gives parents a window into their teen’s driving behavior. Typically, these softwares record:
- Speed
- Miles driven
- Use of antilock brakes
- Use of headlights
They also provide collision and tailgating alerts.
Apps
For those parents whose teens are driving later model vehicles, there are countless apps available that have similar features. Some of the best apps are not free, but likely less expensive than your deductible. They all work to prevent texting while driving, alert emergency services in case of a crash, monitor the car’s location, and track speeds and driving habits. All claim to be tamper-proof.
Some of the highest rated apps include:
- Automatic
- Cellcontrol
- DriveSafe.ly
While technology got us into this mess of distracted driving, it might also help pull us back into safety. With software and programs like this, we just might be able to instill safe driving habits in this new generation of drivers.