Technology Solutions Are Making An Impact With Distracted Driving

Free Solution Deters Driver Cell Phone Use by More Than 90%

LOS ALTOS, CA / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2015 / Distracted driving is in the proverbial headlights these days, with April designated by NHTSA as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, followed by National Youth Traffic Safety Month in May. Despite legislation, law enforcement and education, the problem continues to grow. However, recent studies are starting to show that technology can help drivers reduce their incidence of distracted driving.

Two Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, Ted Chen and Mike Demele, have dedicated themselves to solving the distracted driving epidemic caused by technology through the use of technology. LifeSaver is a free mobile app for Android and iPhone users that automatically removes a driver’s temptation to be visually or manually distracted by his or her cell phone whenever driving is detected. Recent data has shown the app is extremely effective in discouraging cell phone use while driving.

“We looked at over 25,000 trips covering more than 200,000 miles of driving and found that the driver unlocked his or her phone in less than 1.5 percent of these trips,” said Demele. In other words, 98.5 percent of trips using LifeSaver were distraction free from their mobile device. “When contrasting this number to research showing 25 percent of teens admit to texting while driving, we are definitely taking a step in the right direction,” Demele noted.

“Scientific research tells us that humans are wired to respond immediately to every stimulus, especially ones coming from their smartphones. This obviously becomes very dangerous when the stimulus occurs while driving,” said Chen. “We believe that drivers need help to ignore their phone while driving, and LifeSaver has proven to be an effective way to provide that assistance.”

The LifeSaver app is available on Google Play and the iPhone App Store. Unlike some other solutions, the LifeSaver app does not require the purchase and cumbersome installation of costly equipment in the car. LifeSaver has recently introduced a dashboard called the Driver Portal to be used in combination with the app. The Driver Portal provides an easy way for loved ones to view their driver’s distracted driving behavior and provide rewards to help them break the habit.

In the United States, more than 1 in 4 auto collisions are caused by driver distraction due to cell phone use behind the wheel. In 2013, distracted driving took the lives of 3,154 people. NHTSA estimates that at any given moment in the United States, there are 660,000 people using cell phones or manipulating other electronic devices while driving.

The LifeSaver app has been sanctioned by driving safety thought leaders such as Hang Up and Drive and the American Driving & Traffic Safety Education Association (ADTSEA), the national group representing driver ed teachers nationwide.

For more information and to see a demo video, visit http://www.lifesaver-app.com.

Contact:

David Reich
david@reichcommunications.com
212-573-6000

SOURCE: Life Apps LLC

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