New App Disables Your Texts and Calls When Moving Above 10 MPH

Parents who want to prevent their children from texting or calling -- or even adults who want to curb their own temptation to do so -- can download a new Sprint app.

The $2 per month app disables the ability to send texts and also prevents the phone from sending or receiving calls when moving above 10 MPH. Tech News Daily reports:

The app is called Sprint Drive First and is available for Android devices and will soon be available on other platforms. Sprint Drive automatically activates when the phone is moving at a speed more than 10 miles per hour as determined by the device's GPS system.

The New York Times' Bits Blog reported that when someone does try to call or text the person who is driving, the app sends them a message letting them know this is the case. There is an override button for times when this would be inconvenient, like as a passenger in the car Digital Journal points out. The New York Times has more:

“You can’t stop a teen from turning it off, but there are obvious reasons why you’d want to be able to override it — like if you’re a passenger in a car, or bus or train,” said Walter Fowler, a spokesman for Sprint. “So we feel the override does need to be there.”

He added: “But kids should know that parents or account holders can receive notification if the service is overridden.”

Watch how the app works:

According to DistractedDriving.gov, 34 states and the District of Columbia already put a ban on texting while driving; nine states and D.C. don't allow talking on the phone without using hands-free set. Drivers using hand-held cellphones or smartphones while drive are also reported but the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety as four times more likely to get into a crash serious enough to injure themselves.