Less Than $2 Can Save A Life

Officer Jim Schnaidt of the Franklin Lakes Police Department is not just looking out for public safety while on the clock. Schnaidt brings his work home with him and continues to try to find ways to improve public safety.

Live2Txt is the product of a thought process that began with the basic idea of limiting distractions while driving.

“Even if your phone's ringer is off while you drive, the phone can still light up or alert you that you have received a text,” said Schnaidt. “When you hear a text alert or notice your phone ringing, it is human nature to want to check it. Live2Txt helps eliminate the temptation.”

Live2Txt is an app that Schnaidt and the people at Green Lion Digital released this week. The app shows up on the user's home screen as a red “On” button. When the button is pressed, a seatbelt click sounds and the app is initiated.

“The app will send all calls directly to voicemail and will disable the phone's ability to set off text alerts. Anyone who sends you a text will receive an automated response that says, ‘I’m driving. I will get back to you,’ or ‘I’m in a meeting,'” explained Schnaidt.

This allows users to confidently drive without telephone distractions while still letting those attempting to get in touch with you know that you will receive their message. The auto response message can be altered to fit the situation.

The app is also a way for parents to casually monitor their child’s driving habits. A parent can download the app onto their child’s phone and onto their own phone. When the child enables the app, the parent receives a notification. When the child disables the app by pushing the green “Off” button, the parent will receive another notification. 

“If you know your child is supposed to leave for school at 8 a.m. and it takes them 20 minutes to get there, the parent will that the app was enabled at 8 a.m. and disabled at 8:20 a.m. This allows parents to ensure that their kids are using the app and that they are not distracted by their phone while driving.”

This let’s parents know that the child has turned the app on and has gotten to school safely without being too invasive.

The National Safety Council says that there is a distracted driving accident once every 30 seconds in the U.S. and that there have already been an estimated 328,240 distracted driving accidents this year.

“If we could cut statistics down by even 1 percent it would make a real difference. It could save lives and save people from dealing with damages financially and physically,” added Schnaidt.

The app is currently available for Android devices for $1.99. An iPhone edition is currently in the works. Check here for more information, or visit their facebook page.