Technology is part of most of the things we do in our daily lives, and driving is no exception. Our mobile phone can therefore become our best ally for safer driving.
The December bank holiday weekend and the Christmas holidays are traditionally two of the times when the most road journeys are made. And although there is still a little time to go, we lose nothing by already having the best apps installed on our smartphone to help us drive more safely. So let's review five of the most interesting apps on the market in this respect: all free and available for both iPhone and Android.
- Google Maps. A classic if ever there was one. The Google Maps app lets us check the best way to reach our destination depending on the means of transport we are using. But this app has many other functions, and one of the most interesting is the ability to check traffic conditions before leaving home so we can plan our route properly. Useful, isn't it?
- DriveSafe. DriveSafe is an app that monitors the way we drive and builds a profile of our behaviour behind the wheel. What for? So that we become the best drivers in the world, of course. It also generates real-time alerts in the event of danger, for example if the vehicle behind us gets too close. And, by the way, it is Spanish.
- Waze. Is it a GPS? Is it a social network? Well, it is… a bit of everything. What Waze does is provide real-time information on road conditions – traffic, accidents, roadworks… – thanks to data supplied by its users. So, yes, it is a kind of collaborative community that also offers a GPS service.
- Mutting. Clearly, the best thing we can do to drive safely is not to use our mobile. But it is not that easy, is it? That is why Mutting came about, an app that silences notifications, turns off vibration and switches off our smartphone's screen as soon as we start driving, and does not turn them back on until we park. If we receive a call, Mutting tells the caller that we are at the wheel. And if the same call is repeated, the app considers it urgent and puts it through to the vehicle's hands-free system.
- Glympse. This app lets us send our real-time location – from the start to the end of the journey – to the people we choose, for a set period of time. That way we do not have to call anyone to tell them where we are on the road or how long it will take us to arrive.