This article was published in 2012 and updated in October 2026.
For most of us, the smartphone is part of daily life — and used correctly, it can also make you safer on the road. Most of the apps we recommended in 2012 no longer exist, but today’s phones and apps do the same jobs much better, many of them built right in. Here are five apps and features that help keep you and your car in one piece.
1. Driving Focus and Driving mode (built in)
The most important safety feature is already on your phone. Driving Focus on the iPhone and Driving mode or Do Not Disturb while driving on Android silence calls, messages and notifications while you drive and can send an automatic reply. They can switch on automatically when the phone detects driving or connects to your car’s Bluetooth.
2. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
CarPlay and Android Auto put navigation, music, calls and messages on your car’s dashboard screen with large buttons and voice control, so you don’t need to pick up your phone. Messages are read aloud, and you can reply by voice. Most new cars support them, and older cars can be upgraded with a compatible car radio.
3. Google Maps and Waze
Rush-hour traffic is stressful, and stressed, hurried drivers make more mistakes. Navigation apps such as Google Maps and Waze use real-time traffic data to steer you around jams, accidents and road works, and show speed limits and, depending on local laws, warnings about hazards reported by other drivers. Waze is especially known for its community reports. Apple Maps offers similar features on the iPhone.
4. Weather apps
Rain, snow, ice and fog are major causes of accidents. A good weather app — the preinstalled one or apps from your national weather service — warns you about severe weather on your route, so you can leave earlier, choose another route or postpone the trip.
5. Crash detection and family safety apps
Many modern smartphones and smartwatches can detect a severe car crash and automatically call emergency services if you don’t respond: Crash Detection on the iPhone 14 and newer and on recent Apple Watch models, and Car crash detection on Google Pixel phones. Family safety apps such as Life360 add location sharing and, in some plans, crash detection and driving reports — useful for parents of new drivers. Many car insurers also offer apps that reward safe driving with lower premiums.
Use your phone to stay safe, not to get distracted
Set up your navigation and music before you start, let your phone silence distractions, and pull over if you need to do more. Used this way, a few of these apps and features can help you avoid an accident and might even save your life.
Puneet
Feb 02. 2012
Oh nice apps. Never heard of it.
Amit
Feb 03. 2012
I heard about Safe Driver and Beat The Traffic. But rest 3 would like to try it. Thanks for sharing.
admin
Feb 03. 2012
Thanks to Charlie for the contribution…
Dan
Feb 03. 2012
Awesome apps for sure. I always use the weather app. I never heard of the others but I really like the safe driver app especially because my son will be driving in a couple of years.
admin
Feb 03. 2012
Oh..Then it’ll be of great use to you
Chintan
Feb 03. 2012
thanks for the great apps,
Tracyann0312
Feb 03. 2012
Cool apps. It is helpful to be safe on the road nowadays due to accidents happen! I just can’t understand what iZUP is?
admin
Feb 03. 2012
What is the thing you’re unable to understand?
Puneet
Feb 16. 2012
Izup is an app that keeps you safe while driving. Rest the things are in the post. If you will read then you may understand easilly
Praveen
Feb 03. 2012
Your post have the information about Apps that is helpful and very informative, thanks for sharing.
MackMichaels
Feb 03. 2012
I think any app that uses GPS to track speed and position that relays it to parents etc is going to be a big safety enhancer. I know if I was 17 again (long time ago) and I knew my mum was watching the speed I was driving live on her smart phone I’d drive one helluvalot slower!!
Harriet
Feb 05. 2012
The weather app would be people who don’t drive as well. Its always good to know what the weather is doing or is going to do before you make plans for the day!
Nicholle
Feb 06. 2012
Thanks for the following apps, this is truly helps. Driving safely is the first thing to consider because we don’t know the tragedy will come in our way so much better to be ready at all times especially when it comes about the weather.
chanikacha
Feb 06. 2012
This apps may come in handy. I think I will used this apps when I am on some different places. Thanks
admin
Feb 06. 2012
You’re welcome… Thanks for stopping by
chanikacha
Feb 13. 2012
No problem! Thanks for the information, Its very useful 🙂
Adrian
Feb 07. 2012
Hey. That’s a useful stuff. Many thanks for the share.
Peter
Feb 09. 2012
The other day I read about apps that help people to lose weight and stay healthy on another blog and now here we have apps that keep us safe on the road. There’s an app for almost everything nowadays isn’t it? Nice post 🙂
admin
Feb 09. 2012
Yes…for almost everything there is an app !!
san
Feb 09. 2012
These are the most wanted apps, Nice Post…
galaxyvsiphone
Feb 09. 2012
it’s funny that you need an app for road safety when you are more in danger if you are on the phone or your tablet when driving. Informative post, by the way.
Saikrishna
Feb 11. 2012
Impressed with your article, Just got to know how important this apps are.. Thanks buddy.
Becca
Feb 12. 2012
These apps are completely new for me. But it really seems to be very useful.Thanks a lot for sharing this post, now I have strong desire to find out more about this tool
Steve
Feb 17. 2012
really useful apps here, i had only heard of the weather and traffic ones before. I definatly think the weather one is really important though, people just dont seem to take the conidtions into account when they are on the road.
Dale
Feb 19. 2012
I have been using drivesafe.ly for a long time now and it sure is a lifesaver. I can totally focus on the road even if I’m talking to someone. It is a very good app.
Sarah
Feb 23. 2012
Hi there
This is so good to know about apps.this will surely workout and avoiding the mishaps on the roads will become easy with the DriveSafe.ly and Beat the Traffic app will be best for avoiding the traffic congestions.
pol
Feb 25. 2012
i like iZUP most. other apps are helpful too.
admin
Feb 25. 2012
Thanks for the comment
Dylan
Feb 26. 2012
Thanks for these, I’ve never heard of them, but I will definitely try them out! Much appreciated post.
admin
Feb 26. 2012
Thanks for stopping by and commenting ..
Peter
Mar 12. 2012
Thanks Charlie, for the list of these awesome apps you have recommended. I have just tried the beat the traffic app and loved using it.
admin
Mar 12. 2012
Good to know that ….
Lee
Apr 04. 2012
Hi really informative post.
See a report on safe driver sort of thing. On the news about 2 weeks ago now. Did the same thing recorded the drivers speed driving habits how hard they braked. Think was a little black box though that was permanently wired under the bonnet. The good thing I could see was they were hoping to offer lower insurance for young drivers who had it installed. Also something about the better they drove the less their premium would be. Sounds a great idea.
Thanks again.
Tech Crates
Oct 11. 2012
Thank you Lee and thanks for commenting on my blog!
Esther
Apr 16. 2014
Pretty! This was an extremely wonderful article. Thanks for providing this information.
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May 22. 2014
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