Apps help drivers focus on the road, not their phones

Some new cell-phone applications aim to help people break their habits of texting while driving.

Even though the dangers of texting while driving are well-known, many drivers still do it. 

A new app aims to combat that habit by using GPS technology to detect whether a car and a phone are moving faster than 10 mph. If they are, then the app blocks email and texts from coming through.

The application can only be disabled by the phone's administrator, usually a parent.

Another app reads text messages and emails out loud on the phone's speaker. The app can also be programmed to send auto-reply messages while the user is driving.

Drivers like Erica Kirkland said the technology could make roads a safer place.

"If you have a teenager, you don't want them to be out there doing that and hurting themselves or somebody else, so anything you can do to keep them from doing something dangerous is probably a good idea," she said.

A variety of applications have been developed for several types of cell phones, but all of them have the same mission: to keep drivers concentrating on the road, and not their phones.

Some of the text-blocking apps have a one-time price, while others charge a monthly fee. Others are free.

Those who are interested should check with their cell phone providers or app stores to see what is available for their specific phone.