Timothy Cody of Manasquan NJ was driving through a traffic circle one day when a woman driving an SUV while talking on a cell phone almost drove him off the road. As he was turning to get back on the road, he heard a public service announcement on the dangers of texting while driving. He thought "There's got to be some way to stop this" and the idea for a new app was born.

The result was the Drive Alive App. While there are quite a few apps available that shut off a driver's cell phone while the car is in motion, this is the first app that depends on the driver’s promise to refrain from using a cell phone while driving and provides tangible rewards to the driver for doing so. Here's how it works. Once a driver downloads the app, he or she turns on the app before beginning to drive. While driving, the app uses the phone's GPS to determine that the vehicle is in motion. At the same time, the app keeps track of any use of the cell phone, whether it is calling, texting, or using other apps. Once the trip is completed, the driver closes the app. The app then sends the data to Drive Alive's secure data base. If, during any portion of the trip, the phone is activated for any reason while the vehicle is in motion, that particular trip is cancelled and the user loses any credit for that trip.



If the driver refrained from using the phone while driving, he or she qualifies for rewards such as discounted meals, half price beauty salon treatments or gift cards. Most popular of all is a cash reward, delivered directly to the user's Paypal account. The driver can also track their progress against others on a leader board to see how many rewards they have earned. The app is currently available only for Android phones but an iPhone app is expected by late February or early March 2012.


To provide rewards for cell phone free driving, Mr. Cody had to contact businesses in his local area and get them to sign on. Most of the businesses that are currently participating are in New Jersey but Mr. Cody hopes that will soon change as more businesses nationwide get onboard. He is also seeking donor contributions and has opened a new webpage at Kickstarter.com to seek pledges to the cause. He hopes to enlist larger businesses such as insurance companies to provide a larger reward pool for drivers who refrain from using their cell phones. His project will only be funded through Kickstarter.com if he can raise $5,000 in contributions by March 16, 2012.

Business owners can promote their business, while at the same time help to save lives by preventing distracted driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 5,474 people were killed on U.S. roadways and an estimated additional 448,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes that were reported to have involved distracted driving in 2009. Distracted driving has become one of the biggest problems that lead to injuries and loss of life on US roads.

Businesses can sign on by visiting the Drive Alive App website at: http://www.drivealiveapp.com
Businesses, organizations, or individuals that want to pledge contributions can visit the Kickstarter.com website at: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1265026628/drive-alive-an-incentive-based-safe-driving-smartp
There is also a Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/DriveAliveApp
And Twitter at: https://twitter.com/#!/DriveAliveApp

Labels: avoid distracted driving, banning texting, distracted driving, Drive Alive App, driving dangers, texting and driving

This year's hotter than normal weather and drought conditions have led to wild fires throughout the south.

Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp has been burning for a month and other wildfires are springing up all over Southern Alabama, Georgia, and North Florida. The fire season presents some unique problems due to a little known weather phenomenon called "Super Fog". Super fog is not limited to the south but the weather conditions, namely high humidity, normally prevalent in the southern part of the US, makes the area more prone to the phenomenon.

To understand super fog we have to look at how smoke from wildfires or controlled burns can create the conditions for a super fog.

Smoke and ash from a burn mix with the humidity in the air forming tiny droplets around each speck of ash or solid contaminant produced by the fire. As the droplets accumulate, the smoke turns into a combination of smoke and fog creating a super fog that can form as an almost solid wall with visibility reduced to near zero. Super fog appears most often at night and forms most readily at a low level over creek and river beds. While it most often forms at night, it is usually at its heaviest in the early morning hours before the heat of the sun can burn it off. That means it is present most often during the morning rush hour. The problem with super fog is that it is almost impossible for weather forecasters and scientists to predict because the local winds at night are unpredictable and the super fog can form more than 20 to 30 miles away from the site of the fire.

Super fog is especially dangerous on high-speed highways and interstates when cars and trucks, traveling at high rates of speed enter into an almost zero visibility situation that can cover the highway for miles. The inability of cars and trucks to see each other and to slow or stop at the same rate of speed creates a critically dangerous situation. In January of 2008, a controlled burn in central Florida created a super fog event that blanketed Interstate - 4 west of Orlando. Cars and trucks entering the fog began crashing into one another leading to a pile-up that ultimately involved 70 vehicles, 38 injuries and 4 deaths. Another fog related pile-up in California in 2007 involved 100 vehicles resulting in 2 deaths.

Super fogs are impossible to predict; as well as when they may lift or how far away from the actual fire they can occur. How can you avoid getting trapped in a super-fog?

• Before entering an interstate for a night time or early morning commute, listen to local news, weather, and traffic reports. If there are reports of a wild fire or foggy conditions in your local area, consider taking an alternate route and avoid high-speed roadways altogether.


• If you are on an interstate, watch for electronic or "fold-out" signs warning of fog ahead.


• In foggy conditions, SLOW DOWN! Most of the major pile-ups occurred because drivers didn’t slow down and, once it was too late, they couldn’t stop in time to avoid hitting a slow or stalled vehicle ahead.


• Do not use your bright beams. The high beams of your bright lights will reflect off the fog causing increased glare. Use low beams only.


• The lack of any visual references while driving in fog can make it seem like you are going slower than you actually are. Pay attention to your speedometer and REDUCE YOUR SPEED!


• Avoid lane changes. If you are unable to avoid a lane change, use extra caution before moving over and always use your turn signals.


• Roll down the driver's side window and listen for anything unusual that can warn you of a problem up ahead.


• Do not use your cell phone while driving or engage in any other distracting activities such as eating or playing the radio too loudly. Concentrate 100% on the road conditions around you as far as you possibly can.


• Scan your rear view mirrors for warning of vehicles behind that may be approaching too fast.


• If you are approaching an exit, exit the roadway and use an alternate route.


• If, for any reason, you have to stop, pull off the roadway as far as you possibly can and activate your emergency blinkers. Once you are off the roadway, get out of your vehicle and walk as far away from the roadway as you can. Once you are safely out of your car, you should use your cell phone to call the police or highway patrol and alert them to the conditions.

Labels: driving dangers, driving in fog, super fog, weather conditions

SNAP! That was your patience breaking under the pressure of having to juggle children or pets whilst driving, we've all been there before, bored children and restless pets can be really tricky to handle, but if you don't handle them properly, you could be putting yourself at risk of dangerous accidents hurting your, your pets, or even your children.

Let's face it, children can be very stressful sometimes, whether they are hungry or just bored, it can mean the difference between a nice day out and a day out to forget. Recent studies have shown that over ¾ of car collisions are caused by distracted drivers, and the majority of incidents occur within 3 seconds of the initial distraction. With such frightening statistics, it's obvious why more and more people are trying to find ways to keep their children and pets at bay while driving.

The best way to deal with children when traveling is to make sure they are occupied. Stretching around every five minutes is not only inconvenient, but very dangerous. The best approach to take is an organizational one. Pre-planning can often be a very clever tactic, think about where you're going, how long the journey will take, and the time you'll be leaving. These 3 factors are very important when it comes to pre-planning, as they could be the difference between a successful trip and a disastrous one.

When travelling for long periods of time, you might want to make sure that children have things to do that are appropriate for their age groups. Younger children might be perfectly contented with a coloring book, but older children may not. Try putting together a travel play pack for younger children. This can include coloring books, their favorite toys or stuffed animals, anything that you know will keep them occupied for the whole journey.

If you're stuck for ideas, there are some brilliant travel-sized games on the market, such as popular board games shrunk and made appropriate for car travel for children to play against each other, or personal games, electronic or otherwise. You could even put together a little music compilation to play in the car filled with child friendly songs; they will be far too busy singing along. For older children, MP3 Players, hand held electronics or books can keep them busy for as long as you need them to, however older children are usually a lot easier to deal with in the car.

Labels: avoid distracted driving, distracted driving, driving dangers, driving distractions, vehicle accidents

As we enter into the spring time, which is a drier period in the south, the forest fire emergency levels will increase. The fire season presents some unique problems due to a little known weather phenomenon called "Super Fog". Super fog is not limited to the south but the weather conditions, namely high humidity, normally prevalent in the southern part of the US, makes the area more prone to the phenomenon.

To understand super fog we have to look at how smoke from wildfires or controlled burns can create the conditions for a super fog.

Smoke and ash from a burn mix with the humidity in the air forming tiny droplets around each speck of ash or solid contaminant produced by the fire. As the droplets accumulate, the smoke turns into a combination of smoke and fog creating a super fog that can form as an almost solid wall with visibility reduced to near zero. Super fog appears most often at night and forms most readily at a low level over creek and river beds. While it most often forms at night, it is usually at its heaviest in the early morning hours before the heat of the sun can burn it off. That means it is present most often during the morning rush hour. The problem with super fog is that it is almost impossible for weather forecasters and scientists to predict because the local winds at night are unpredictable and the super fog can form more than 20 to 30 miles away from the site of the fire.

Super fog is especially dangerous on high-speed highways and interstates when cars and trucks, traveling at high rates of speed enter into an almost zero visibility situation that can cover the highway for miles. The inability of cars and trucks to see each other and to slow or stop at the same rate of speed creates a critically dangerous situation. In January of 2008, a controlled burn in central Florida created a super fog event that blanketed Interstate - 4 west of Orlando. Cars and trucks entering the fog began crashing into one another leading to a pile-up that ultimately involved 70 vehicles, 38 injuries and 4 deaths. Another fog related pile-up in California in 2007 involved 100 vehicles resulting in 2 deaths.

Super fogs are impossible to predict and it is impossible to predict when they may lift or how far away from the actual fire they can occur. How can you avoid getting trapped in a super-fog?

Before entering an interstate for a night time or early morning commute, listen to local news, weather, and traffic reports. If there are reports of a wild fire or foggy conditions in your local area, consider taking an alternate route and avoid high-speed roadways altogether.

If you are on an interstate, watch for electronic or "fold-out" signs warning of fog ahead.

In foggy conditions, SLOW DOWN! Most of the major pile-ups occurred because drivers didn’t slow down and, once it was too late, they couldn’t stop in time to avoid hitting a slow or stalled vehicle ahead.

Do not use your bright beams. The high beams of your bright lights will reflect off the fog causing increased glare. Use low beams only.

The lack of any visual references while driving in fog can make it seem like you are going slower than you actually are. Pay attention to your speedometer and REDUCE YOUR SPEED!

Avoid lane changes. If you are unable to avoid a lane change, use extra caution before moving over and always use your turn signals.

Roll down the driver's side window and listen for anything unusual that can warn you of a problem up ahead.

Do not use your cell phone while driving or engage in any other distracting activities such as eating or playing the radio too loudly. Concentrate 100% on the road conditions around you as far as you possibly can.

Scan your rear view mirrors for warning of vehicles behind that may be approaching too fast.

If you are approaching an exit, exit the roadway and use an alternate route.

If, for any reason, you have to stop, pull off the roadway as far as you possibly can and activate your emergency blinkers. Once you are off the roadway, get out of your vehicle and walk as far away from the roadway as you can. Once you are safely out of your car, you should use your cell phone to call the police or highway patrol and alert them to the conditions.

Labels: driving dangers, super fog, weather conditions