A teen driver earning their driver’s license means they are no longer required to have a parent in the car. For some parents, they want tools to make sure they know where their children are and if they are driving responsibly. There are plenty of devices and apps that are available to parents to help make sure their teen is safe. Once friends are allowed in the car, these tools are also nice to keep tabs on the speed of the vehicle. If you are looking for apps that can help you monitor your teen driver’s behavior, here are six great apps to consider.
AT&T Drive Mode
This free app is available to everyone on Android and iOS, even if they are not AT&T customers. The app turns on automatically when a teen is driving faster than 15 mile per hour. The main feature of this app is that it will silence incoming text messages and phone calls while the teen is driving and send an automated message back letting the person know they are unavailable right then. If the teen turns it off or disables any of the safety features, the app alerts the parents with a notification.
Life360
If you are looking for an app that gives you more detailed reports on your teen’s driving habits, this app is a good one and is available on Android and iOS. Each week, it sends a weekly driving report that includes phone usage, hard braking, fast acceleration, and speeding so you can monitor behaviors and discuss them. The app also has roadside assistance and a crash and emergency response system so you can rest easier knowing that your teen can get help if needed.
Mama Bear
For parents who want more immediate notifications for driving plus monitoring tools for safety and awareness, the Mama Bear is a great tool. It is available on Android and iOS. This app allows parents to set a speed limit and alert you if they exceed that speed whether the driver or a passenger. Parents are also able to set locations in the phone and get notified when the teen arrives at that location and when they leave it. Plus, if you want an app to help monitor text messages and social media use, including tracking followers, pictures, and mentions.
TrueMotion Family Safe Driving
Another app that helps parents monitor driving habits is this free app, available on iOS and Android. This app helps track phone use while driving, speeding, aggressive handling, and other driving habits. The best feature of this app is that it helps encourage safe driving by ranking users in the family against each other. It rewards points and helps drivers break bad habits by being more aware of their driving.
Automatic
Another app that gives a driver a score is Automatic, available on iOS and Android. It has a customizable dashboard that provides drivers with suggestions on improving their driving. It works to be more of a car assistant to help all drivers be safe. It monitors driving habits, has crash detection, and location monitoring.
Hum by Verizon
Hum is only available to Verizon Wireless customers but works on Android and iOS phones. It has multiple features to help protect drivers, including sending speed alerts, location sharing, and contacting emergency services if it detects a crash. Other benefits of this app cover common pain points for drivers like vehicle diagnostic and maintenance, 24/7 roadside assistance.
Get Started Today
The best place to start with having a safe teen driver is providing them with a great new driver training. Taking a defensive driving course can help teach skills on being safe behind the wheel.