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How to Make Money From Distracted Driving

By on February 3, 2013 in Biz Ops

Driving while texting is a growing menace. As the incidents of texting-related fender benders and worse mount, 19 states have outlawed the practice.

But road texting is a tough habit to break.

Seeing a big opportunity, a bevy of start-ups is rolling out services that disable and divert text and e-mail while recipients are on the go, reports Inc.com.

Software entrepreneur Matthew Howard started ZoomSafer after a texting-related mishap caused him to knock a 9-year-old boy off his bike. The child was unhurt, but a mortified Howard developed GPS software that turns off a phone’s keypad at speeds above 10 mph. (A passenger mode overrides the system.) Incoming texts are stored, and the sender is notified that the driver is unavailable. A new service will also convert incoming text to voice via speakerphone. The software is downloaded as an app, costs $25 a year or $2.99 a month, and runs on BlackBerrys.

Safe Driving Systems’s Key2SafeDriving is a device that plugs into the diagnostic port beneath the steering wheel and connects wirelessly to your phone. It activates as soon as the engine starts. Incoming texts and calls are held, and outgoing messages are blocked, except to 911 and emergency contacts. An attempt to override the system prompts a text alert, sent to a teen driver’s parent, for instance, or a worker’s manager. The device costs $100 and is compatible with Windows phones and, soon, with BlackBerry and Symbian phones.

reQall sells a general-use voice-activated system that has become popular among drivers who want to cut down on texting. Drivers dictate commands like “Tell Bill I am running late.” Then the message is sent as text to Bill’s e-mail account or a cell phone. The system does not, however, convert incoming texts to voice. The reQall application is a free download; a version that sends alerts and reminders to drivers as they approach specific locations costs $2.99 a month or $24.99 a year and works with BlackBerrys and iPhones.

Photo by hsrc.unc.edu.

automotive safety

Rich Whittle has added 6,226 posts to Business Opportunities Weblog.

Another Idea: How to Start a Voice Messages Service Center Business

  • http://www.mylifepassport.com Jason

    Interesting how unfortunate events such as accidents while texting can help entrepreneurs with new ideas for software or products.

  • http://redhotfranchises.com RedHotFranchises

    They should just come out with an SMS to voice translation and allow the driver to send out messages through their own voice.
    IPhone app’s are capable of doing this and I hear some developers are already working on it.

  • http://wahm.business-opportunities.biz Angela Shupe

    For every problem there is a solution just waiting to be discovered. I never text and drive, I have no idea how anyone could possibly do that without crashing their vehicle. For those people without any self-control, it is nice to see that there is a product like this to help motivate them to stop the bad habit. Although, it’d probably just be cheaper to turn off the phone, pull over, or simply not bother answering it.

  • Ashumeet

    Why all these prohibitions and useless laws… why can’t we instead have the use of softwares like http://www.drivesafe.ly/ made binding and necessary for cell users… and cellular companies to dole out to their consumer??

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