Many of you will likely remember the story of Alex Brown. She was the 17-year-old girl who died after getting into a car crash while texting and driving. Her parents were devastated but they didn’t let their grief get in the way of reaching out to others and teaching kids and parents about the dangers of texting and driving.
In addition to visiting schools and groups and speaking out about the tragic event that took their daughter from them, the parents also promote several products that help ensure your kids are safe.
One of the products is called Get Home Safe. It costs $99 and actually disables you from receiving text messages while your car is operating.
Alex’s mom, Jeanne, explains:
“You simply download the software and plug the device into your vehicle’s on board diagnostic system. The device can be programmed to recognize your child’s phone and it can disable the phone’s texting service while the car is operating. This automatically sends a bluetooth signal to that phone that disables it. It won’t turn it off, it just blocks texting.” The device also sends parents a text message if the child attempts to tamper with it.
I can’t find a place to purchase this particular product online but I did find a similar one (called KeytoSafeDriving here).
T-Mobile also offers a device for $4.99 which is an application that blocks texting and talking while driving. The service is called DriveSmart Plus and will send texts to an inbox and redirect phone calls to a voicemail or Bluetooth headset when the vehicle is going faster than 10mph.
There are several other applications to consider when preventing your children from texting and driving.
We encourage you to take the time (and money) to help ensure your child’s safety. After all, it could end up saving their lives.
