End Distracted Driving with the Focus App
Since 2010, roughly 660,000 individuals are estimated to be using cell phones while driving every minute, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. That is a number that has more or less remained unchanged. Teenagers and young adults, especially, have been involved in a higher percentage of accidents which were caused by distracted driving due to using cell phones. A survey conducted by the USDOT found that in 27 percent of distracted driving incidents involving cell phones, the drivers were between the ages of 20 and 30.
Taking your eyes of the road to look at a cell phone for even five seconds can prove fatal. During that time, at an average speed of 55mph, your vehicle will travel approximately 50 yards. That is more than enough distance to either cause an accident or fail to perceive a hazard in time to react.
Almost everyone carries a cell phone with them everywhere they go. Even drivers who are normally attentive can become easily distracted by incoming calls or messages. The temptation to take a quick glance at an incoming message can often prove too much.
Focus — Screen-Free Driving
There now exists a rather innovative means of avoiding the distraction of your cell phone. You may be surprised to learn that the means for avoiding the distraction of your phone actually resides on your phone. It is an app.
The Focus – Screen-Free Driving app works with your iPhone, Android or Windows smart phone and is designed to train drivers to stay focused on the driving and not on their cell phone. It sounds almost contradictory to use a phone app to keep you from using your phone; however, although the app is installed on your smart phone, it is quite effective in keeping the owner from using it.
How the Focus App Works
The app is the brainchild of developer, Kevin Holesh. The app works by, effectively, berating the driver every time they pick up the phone. If the driver continues to pick up the phone while driving, Focus increases its intensity. Focus uses voice-over to deliver messages to the driver, warning that they are being distracted while driving. Perhaps most sobering, Focus sends an automated email which includes details of cell phone use while driving, which includes, how long the phone was used, and the speed of the vehicle while the driver was being distracted. Once your journey is complete, Focus will notify you of how you performed while driving so that you have a real-time indication of whether you were paying attention to the road or your cell phone.
The idea behind the app is to provide the driver with data on how often and for how long they are distracted by a cell phone while driving. Few drivers want to feel like they are a liability on the road, so it is easy for drivers to fool themselves into believing that they are not easily distracted by their cell phones. Focus puts everything in black and white, so there is no denying the level of distraction taking place. The constant reminders also help break the habit of picking up the cell phone every time a notification comes through.
The app cannot distinguish between the driver using the cell phone or someone else, so you may receive unfair admonishments when you were not at fault. Some users have also reported that the app drains the battery on certain devices. However, given that the app is designed to prevent you from being distracted by your cell phone, that is not necessarily a bad thing.
Other Causes of Distracted Driving
The app will not work for every driver, and cell phones are not the only cause of distracted driving. Children fighting, loud music, passengers speaking to the driver and many other activities can cause distracted driving. When a driver is distracted, it is much more difficult to react to other drivers and potential hazards. The reduction in reaction time can make all the difference between being involved in an accident and being able to stop or get out of the way.
If you have been involved in an accident which was caused by a distracted driver, you can seek compensation. GreeningLaw specializes in personal injury claims, and our team are experts in gaining rewards for clients who have suffered trauma or injury in a motor vehicle accident. If the accident was the fault of the other driver, you are entitled to receive fair compensation for losses incurred as a result of the accident. Contact GreeningLaw because we fight the legal battle, so you have time for healing and renewal.