Here are the best driving apps – according to the collective eyes of the CANSTAR Research team, that is. From car safety apps to storm warning apps, your smartphone could become your new best friend in the passenger seat.
AAMI Safe Driver App
The AAMI Safe Driver App uses GPS technology to record your journey and analyse your driving behaviour. Once you have driven more than 10 journeys and over 300 kilometres, it then provides you with a driving score and feedback relating to your performance. Factors taken into account include length of trips, speed, acceleration, braking, fatigue and phone usage. The higher score you achieve, the higher the app rates your skills.
You don’t have to be an AAMI customer to use this app, so you can have fun comparing your driver rating with family and friends.
Budget Direct – Hail Hero
While not technically an app, Budget Direct’s Hail Hero service automatically sends all registered customers an SMS alert ahead of a hail storm that may damage their car or property. Since launching Hail Hero late in 2011, Budget Direct has sent 1 million alerts – including 63,190 in one day alone – to warn customers of impending damaging hail at their home address and giving them valuable time to protect their property.
It’s no wonder Hail Hero won one of our coveted CANSTAR Innovation Awards.
AT&T Drive Mode
According to research, accidents are 23 times more likely when the driver is distracted while driving. And there’s nothing more distracting than texting while driving. If you simply can’t help yourself when a text message comes in, do the safe thing and take the decision out of your hands. AT&T DriveMode is a free app that silences incoming text message alerts and automatically replies to them so the driver can stay focused.
AT&T DriveMode turns on when the vehicle is moving, gives you access to music and navigation with one touch and – for young drivers – lets your parents know if it is disabled or turned off and if a new speed-dial number is added. At the time of the latest update, 11.3 million people had publicly pledged to drive safely with the AT&T app on the It Can Wait website.
NRMA Road Smart Kids App
Not an app for drivers as such – but rather for those backseat drivers! The new NRMA Road Smart Kids App, for children aged 5 – 8, is designed to help children learn simple but essential road safety behaviours.
The app includes a number of games, such as Go Stop Go, Street Smarts and Number Plate Playroom. After all, with younger drivers being at a greater risk of accident, it’s never too early to learn about road safety!
For more high tech ways to reduce your car insurance premiums, read this article.
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