As technology becomes more and more intertwined with how we drive, distracted driving crashes have increased. For many people, their phones sync up with their vehicles as soon as they get in. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 9 people are killed, and 1,000 are injured each day due to distracted driving crashes. To curb the rates of distracted driving deaths and injuries, Apple has a feature built into the iPhone that could reduce the number of distractions behind the wheel.
How to Use the iPhone Do Not Disturb While Driving Feature
For iPhones that run the iOS 11 software or newer, there is a way to enable the “Do Not Disturb While Driving” feature. Many people have ignored this feature, but it can be a significant benefit to drivers. If you need to enable this driving mode in your phone, first go to Settings > Do Not Disturb > Activate.
When you hit “Activate,” you will see several options. You can either allow the Do Not Disturb mode to turn on when the car is connected to Bluetooth, or you can choose to connect to it manually. The manual option can be turned on in the console center, but this is not a recommended way to connect to Do Not Disturb. Without this mode turned on automatically, there is a good chance that the driver will forget to do so.
This system will ensure your phone stays silent and the screen stays dark while driving. If someone sends a message, they will receive an automatic reply letting them know you are driving. Those that need to send an urgent message can do so by typing “urgent” into the message so you receive a notification to pull over and read it or ask Siri to read it.
In this mode, the phone will still send emergency alerts, alarms, and timers to your phone. If you use Maps to navigate, your phone will still display lock-screen navigation and give turn by turn instructions. Calls will also be rejected, and the caller sent a message letting them know you are driving, but you can select to receive calls from certain people if they call twice in a row.
Ensure Your Teen Uses Do Not Disturb While Driving
Apple’s Do Not Disturb mode can be beneficial to teenage drivers, particularly now that texting and driving is the leading cause of teen driving deaths. On your child’s phone, you can ensure that this mode is enabled every time they get behind the wheel. After setting up the Do Not Disturb mode to come on automatically, go to the Restrictions section and make a passcode only you know. Under Allow Changes, tap the Do Not Disturb While Driving and tap Don’t Allow Changes. Now, your child cannot make changes to this feature.
Do Android Phones Have a Similar Feature?
Android also has a Do Not Disturb Mode for phones using that system, and it can automatically detect when a user is driving. This system will limit alerts and notifications that a driver receives. Calls will come through, and other notifications will be redirected to the vehicle’s Bluetooth system if there is one connected to the phone.
Contact a West Virginia Car Accident Attorney
If you or someone you care about has been injured in a car accident that was caused by another driver, please seek legal assistance today. At Tiano O’Dell, PLLC, our Charleston car accident lawyers are ready to investigate what happened so we can secure the compensation you are entitled to. You can contact us for a free case consultation online or calling (304) 720-6700.