THIS POST WAS WRITTEN IN COLLABORATION WITH HIPPO.CO.ZA
I’m in the process of dealing with my Car Insurance folks to sort out a repair on my vehicle after someone tried to break into my car. Yay. Not. As is the case with this stuff, I’m reminded of the paperwork and issues you deal with when your vehicle needs to be repaired. In this case, the fault wasn’t my own, but many a time we mess up and, because no one wants to deal with admin, I thought I’d help you with some suggestions to improve your driving experience and ultimately make you a safer driver. I’ve listed 3 apps to make you a safer driver, but once you’ve downloaded these and got yourself going, I’d suggest also reading this post on Defensive Driving Tips That Could Save Your Life – for even more help with being safe on the road.
Let’s get to the apps!
Google Maps
This is an obvious one, but it needs to be on the list anyway. There is nothing worse than those people who suddenly do U-Turns because they’re lost, or cut across lanes to turn left when they suddenly realise they’re going the wrong way. I’m a firm believer in using Google Maps. It integrates into your Bluetooth connection in your car or you can put your smartphone on speaker. The lovely Google lady voice will tell you where to go without you having to look down and double check. Yes it costs data, but you can download the maps or route while on WiFi and then use those downloads when offline to get you where you need to go. This is a far better and safer option than trying to remember where to go or reading handwritten scribbles that are meant to be directions.
Deezer
Yay for music streaming apps! Fiddling with the buttons on your car as you jump between stations trying to find the perfect track means your eyes are off the road for a good few seconds. And in those few seconds chaos can reign. I’ve recently started testing Deezer out. You can put together a playlist for the duration of your trip and download the songs beforehand so that you don’t need to stream while on the go. The app stores the playlist and you can enjoy it while travelling. So no need to be trying to flick through your phone to find the perfect song or switching between stations–meaning your eyes are on the road!
ReadItToMe
The biggest problem, when you’re on the road, is your smartphone. I know how it goes, you’re in the middle of a giant flirt with someone or waiting for a really important email. While stuck in traffic you cannot help but sneak a glance at your phone. No! ReadItToMe reads out your text messages and app notifications so you don’t have to be constantly glancing down at your phone. Leave your smartphone in your handbag and ReadItToMe will make sure you don’t miss anything. Now that the FOMO is sorted you can get down to concentrating on driving safely!
Do you have any apps you’d suggest to help make you more safe on the road? Share them in the comments below so others can also use them!
