Helping customers to drive efficiently and safely, is at the heart of what Croyland does. As part of this we are aware of the hazard that being distracted by your phone can cause, whether it’s those noisy text alerts or pesky application notifications.
Whilst phones can act as a navigational tool or a lifeline when travelling somewhere, these notifications can often divert your attention, having the potential to be hazardous.
For drivers looking to improve their road behaviour, there are alternative apps to use. For android users there are 3rd party applications which can prevent drivers from receiving alerts that could distract them, examples of which can be found below:
Text Drive - This free app reads messages and caller IDs aloud so as not to tempt you to look at it, also it allows for a customizable message to be sent as an automatic reply to any incoming texts.
Agent - This handy application ‘automatically saves your battery, silences your phone during meetings, remembers where you’ve parked, auto-responds when you’re driving and allows only urgent calls and messages through when you’re sleeping.’
When it comes to Apple users however, the upcoming launch of iOS11 this September will now enable drivers to maintain their ability to use their device as navigation, with a reduced chance of distraction. The new ‘Do Not Disturb for Driving’ feature will prevent incoming messages from displaying and instead will automatically reply stating:
“I’m driving with Do Not Disturb turned on. I’ll see your message when I get where I’m going”
Not only is this message customisable, but users will also be able to select which of their contacts are exempt from this. A second message is also sent shortly after the first, reading:
“If this is urgent, reply ‘urgent’ to send a notification through with your original message”
This allows messages to come up as a notification on the driver’s phone in case of emergency.
This mode, handily activates when it detects connection to a car, either by Bluetooth or cable. It also turns on through the phones movement detection feature, which recognises that the user is driving and enables the mode.
For drivers wanting to improve their concentration, these features are worth considering. For more on driving safety, or even finding your next practical car, head to Croyland Car Megastore and our friendly staff will be more than happy to assist.