The idea of a smartphone and a teen driver mixing sounds like a recipe for disaster. Most smartphones just end up facilitating distracted driving. However, there are a few great apps on the market that can help your teen driver stay safe on the road. Here is a review of the apps we think will be most helpful to consider downloading for your teen.
Apps To Monitor Teen Driving Habits
These apps help track and monitor your teen’s driving behaviors so that you can make sure that your teen is exercising good driving habits.
DriveScribe, Available on Android and iOS, Free
DriveScribe turns your teen driver’s smartphone into a driving instructor. When your teenager is out on the road, DriveScribe tracks where they drive, the routes they take and will notify you if they violate any traffic laws. At the end of every trip, DriveScribe assigns a score based on your teen’s driving performance and will give you a report on how well they drove. That way, if there are certain areas like speeding, taking sharp turns, or not stopping at traffic lights, where a teen needs to learn a little more, you can target those areas and provide further instruction.
SafeDriver, iOS, Free or $4.99 for the full version
SafeDriver works a lot like DriveScribe in that it monitors your teen’s driving behavior. However, instead of generating a report, it will immediately send you a text message any time your teenager violates a traffic law. SafeDriver also offers incentives and allows you to reward good driving behavior.
RoadReady, Android and iOS, free
RoadReady tracks your teenager’s progress while they still have their learner’s permit. This app tracks everything from road conditions, types of streets (highway or country roads), and the length of each drive to make sure they are meeting their hour requirements. Based on the collected information, RoadReady also gives teens safe driving tips and instructions. This app is great to prove your teen has logged enough hours to take the driver’s test.
Driver’s Educational Apps
There are several driver training apps on the market to help teen your teen with good driving skills. Many online defensive driver’s courses even have apps that are compatible with their lesson plans, so your teen can learn on the go. So when looking into online defensive driver’s courses, consider choosing one with an app. Otherwise, you can download these educational apps to help your teen.
Aceable, Android and iOS
Our top recommendation for an online driver’s ed educational app is definitely by Aceable. The app is available in CA, FL, GA, IL, NV, OH, OK, PA, and TX.
This app is innovative and geared for tech-savvy teens with its interactive approach to learning. Your teen will find engaging videos, memes, animations, and graphics. Your teen will also find learning with the ever-reliable in-house robot, Ace, to be fun and interesting.
What’s so great about Aceable driver’s ed? They offer the easiest and shortest online driver’s ed course by far. Even though the course is modern, the curriculum is easy to understand and simple. There aren’t any boring textbooks at Aceable, so your teen will love learning with the help of bite-sized content and engaging simulations, games, and quizzes on the mobile-friendly app.
DriversEd, Android and iOS
DriversEd.com has been one of the pioneers of online driver’s ed, but that doesn’t mean that they’re outdated! DriversEd now has a mobile application complete with comprehensive and interactive course content. To date, their the largest online driving school provider, so you can rest assured that they know what they’re doing!
Millions of students have tried and tested the DriverEd’s app. It offers a wide variety of learning tools to help teach your teenager driving skills. This includes unlimited access to interactive videos, animations, audio, and text resources. The app allows teens to download their state driving manual and read in the palm of their hands –– anytime and anywhere. It’s also easy to switch from your phone to your laptop according to your mood and needs. Your teen can download all references on their device, making it truly convenient to learn.
They also have tons of flashcards, videos, and quizzes so your teen can learn and test their driver’s knowledge. Another plus – Driversed.com has excellent and FREE 24/7 customer support to guide your teen through the course.
This app is a great supplemental app for any online defensive driver’s course.
School Driving 3D, Android and iOS
School Driving 3D is a driver’s training app that is a 3D driving game. The fun and interactive gaming platform not only helps children drive on virtual streets before hitting the road, but teaches them invaluable lessons about traffic safety and laws. School Driving 3D is a great app for teens who are just learning how to drive because it is both educational and engaging.
Learn Driving, Android
Learn driving is an all-in-one app that teaches teens everything they need to know about basic driving rules. Instructional modules include lessons on how to operate a vehicle, step-by-step driving instructions, traffic rules, and tons of safe driving tips and techniques. The app uses a variety of different mediums to teach your kids how to drive, including pictures, videos, and games. This is a great basic instructional app that can help supplement your teen’s driver’s ed training.
Apps To Help End Distracted Driving
The biggest cause of accidents for teen drivers is distracted driving. Smartphones are usually the biggest cause of distraction. Luckily, there are some apps you can install to make sure that your teen isn’t able to be distracted by their smartphone while they are out on the road.
Canary, Android and iOS, $14.99
Canary is the best app to get for teen drivers to keep them from getting distracted. It automatically lets you know if they’ve unlocked their phone while driving. The app will also notify you if they exceed speed limits, make/receive calls or text messages, go outside of any areas you establish, and if they violate curfew. This app does it all, from monitoring your teen’s driving habits to preventing them from distracted driving. Though the price tag is a little high, it is a worthwhile investment to keep your teens safe out on the road.
Drivesafe.ly, Android and iOS, $13.95 for your teen, $34.95 for your family
Drivesafe.ly automatically intercepts text messages and reads them aloud, so teens do not have to look at their phones when they get a message. The app also allows teens to use a Bluetooth headset so they can respond in real-time to any messages. This app will also read emails, so it’s a great idea for the whole family.
Text Arrest, Android and iOS, Free
Like the other two apps, Text Arrest automatically intercepts text messages and phone calls. However, it will not deliver the messages until their vehicle stops. So if you are really worried about your teen’s smartphone use while driving, this is the best app to prevent it entirely.
Technology can help make teenagers safer drivers. Beyond smartphone apps, you should also take advantage of online defensive driver’s courses. These courses will help your teen learn the skills they need to become great drivers, so you won’t have to worry about keeping them safe on the road. For more about online driving courses and some great driving tips, check out Traffic School Critics. We have reviews on hundreds of online driving schools and can even help you find one that has a companion app. So check us out today to help keep your teen safe!