There are a number of things a parent goes through that sends them into utter terror, and one of the most terrifying things is when their child gets behind the wheel of a car. So much speed, so much power, and so much capacity for damage will make any parent’s stomach churn with anxiety. After all, being people who are just learning how to drive, they are inevitably going to be at greater risk of making a mistake while driving. It is a difficult thing to try to keep them from being too unsafe, and the last thing you want to do is have to work with car accident lawyers in the event they’re involved in an injury, but there are still options that can be taken to reduce the risk, one of which is through the use of teen driver apps.
Importance of teen driver apps: How they can help protect your teen drivers
Before you worry about apps, make sure that you teach them all the important rules of the road. And not only the rules, but the consequences of breaking them. That is something everything needs to know, and it is a lot better to know it before they have to face them themselves. Of course, they are going to learn a lot of the rules of the road during the process of taking the driver’s test but having the importance of that knowledge drilled into them will do a world of good for them to have done. There may even be some tips that may have been overlooked in the testing process, or something that you have personal experience with that you want them to understand. Imparting your own experiences may help them understand the consequences more than they would if coming from someone they do not know.
The best apps for teen drivers are usually going to be based around apps that both you and your teens can utilize to help improve their driving skills. One of these apps is called TrueMotion Family Safe Driving, which can be downloaded on both iOS and Android devices. The best part about it is that it can be used not just for teaching your teen driver, but also to gauge how good a driver everyone using it is.
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The app tracks and scores each driver’s behavior and can even be used to show whether each member on the app is obeying the speed limit, how much they are using their phone, as well as their location. It is a great way to not only track that kind of information, but also to show your teens that you also follow these rules. If you don’t, it may discourage them from caring about themselves, so be diligent!
Next up, we have Autobrain, also for iOS and Android. The nice thing about this one is that it comes from experience: namely, it was created by a first responder. The app will immediately notify 911 in the event that the car was involved in a crash. The one downside to this one is that you do have to pay approximately 10 dollars a month, but if you can afford to do it and have a need for it, then go for it. Another one in a similar vein is Hum for iOS and Android devices, which similarly notifies 911 in the event of a car accident or crash, as well as location sharing, speed alerts, and roadside assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The downside is that you DO have to be a Verizon customer in order to use it. Life360, meanwhile, provides statuses through the week on the activity of certain drivers; this activity includes phone usage, adherence to the speed limit, rapid acceleration, and sudden braking, allowing you to better understand how good or bad your teen is doing when in control of a vehicle. MamaBear has a nice feature where you can set a speed limit for your teen driver, and you will be notified when that speed limit is broken. It has the added benefit that if they are in the car with an irresponsible driver. You can also use it to set locations and destinations, ensuring that you can see if your teen driver follows these instructions and if they do, by how much.
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While Hum requires you to be a Verizon customer in order to use it, AT&T Drive Mode is thankfully available for anyone. The app automatically activates once it detects that your teen is driving at a speed of at least 15 miles per hour. It has the added benefit that you do not have to worry that your teen is going to take notice of phone calls or text messages coming in, as it also silences them while the car is going. Instead, the app will send an automated response to people trying to contact your teen, letting them know that they are driving and, as a result, unable to send or receive any communication. On top of that, in the event that your teen driver tries to turn the app off, you will be informed of this. As a result, you can make sure to give them a good scolding once they return home.
