06/10/2021
With the rise of automation and the ability to speak voice commands to your phone while driving (so that you don’t need to take your hands off the wheel or your eyes off the road), we wanted to break down some of the best driving apps that are safe and helpful to use while driving.
Google Maps
While Android phones may come with this by default, many iPhone users may not realize that they have the option to download Google Maps onto their phones as well. Using Google Maps on your phone instead of Apple Maps would allow access to Google’s Street-view to get a more accurate external view of where you’re going, as well as a connection to any other Google product like their extensive reviews for local businesses like restaurants.
Waze
Waze has certainly grown in popularity and name recognition over the last few years – while Google does in fact own Waze, there is a good reason that they have chosen to keep this app separate from Google Maps. The key difference between Waze and Google Maps is the ability to report and warn other drivers of conditions on the road, and to help drivers find the quickest route to their destination which often involves taking lesser known back roads. Waze allows drivers to report debris in the road, report an accident right when it happens, report a car stopped on the side of the road, and even to report the presence of police or speed traps. This reporting ability allows other drivers on the road to receive warnings for all of the above in real time as they happen – so it’s kind of like crowd-sourced driving help in the form of an app that helps you get to your destination both safely and quickly.
GasBuddy
This is one of the best apps you can use for finding the lowest price gas near you – their database is extensive and searches almost every gas station for pricing in the country, plus it allows users to update pricing with corrections in real-time. On top of that, their app now offers an option to purchase using GasBuddy and save “up to $.25 per gallon,” according to updates on their website. Definitely worth looking into for savings at the pump.
Plugshare
Are you an electric vehicle owner? Plugshare was made for you! This app is pretty basic, but it provides an interactive map showing over 40,000 electric vehicle charging stations across the country, and their database only continues to grow. This can definitely come in handy for those looking for the closest and most ideal charging station nearby.
LifeSaver
This app is focused entirely on safety, and is meant to help you try to break your bad habits while driving. It disables phone use while driving, and you can set it up to send notifications to specific people to let them know you have reached your destination safely. This can be great for both company use, for those who have employees driving frequently and want status notifications, as well as for families with teen drivers. There is even a driver portal for parents to let them know that their teens have arrived safely at their destination, and to set up their own reward system to help encourage family members with incentives! This is a must for young drivers, and can also be helpful from a business perspective for fleet drivers as well.
