New App Lets You Judge Teen Driving: Helpful or Harmful?

by SodaHead Tech Posted 2012/08/20 01:30:36

Related Topics: Teen Driving, Florida, App, Smartphones, Texting

224 votes
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	Helpful	133 votes	59%
	Harmful	91 votes	41%

You’ve seen the bumper stickers on the back of semis asking, “How’s My Driving?” Now, a new smartphone app applies this concept to teen drivers, allowing users to send in their feedback. But critics worry that it will encourage the dangerous practice of texting behind the wheel.

Howismykiddriving.co is the brainchild of Florida dad Michael McManigal. For $15 ($10 in subsequent years), parents can register the license plate number of their child’s car on the website. Members then receive two bumper stickers that read: “How is my KID driving? Push Text my tag #.” Drivers who have the free Push Text app downloaded on their smartphones can then send in their thoughts via a one-way anonymous text.

Since its launch a month ago, the app has received both praise and criticism. "Part of me likes the idea. Maybe it will make kids think before they drive aggressively or distracted," said Edith Peters, traffic safety specialist for the Florida Department of Transportation. "I would like it better if it had a warning at the bottom discouraging texting and driving."

McManigal is taking this criticism to heart and is going to add a warning to his next batch of stickers.

So SodaHeads, what do you think about this new app? Is it helpful or harmful?

Add a comment above

JenSemPa 2012/08/20 12:21:27

Harmful

+6
... and the over-reliance on gadgets at the expense of personal responsibility continues.

And yes, I agree that this would only encouage more texting-while-driving.
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sisi 2012/08/20 02:37:13

Helpful

in away its helpful so thy no wat to work on whn thy are driving but harmful if thy are using iht whn thy are driving

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American Nate 2012/08/20 02:13:05 (edited)

Harmful

As they text on how your teen is doing, the person rams that back of your car...

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Jalex 2012/08/20 02:05:14

Harmful

+3
It sounds like a good idea in theory, but I can see it becoming a distraction more than anything else. And one of the last things we need is more people driving while distracted.

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ashlee 2012/08/20 01:52:28

Helpful

I can see both sides.

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Michelle 2012/08/20 01:51:27 (edited)

Harmful

+2
In my province, it's illegal to use a cell phone while driving. Yeah, let's discourage bad teen drivers by encouraging other drivers to break the law-- good idea. The only feedback you'd get would be from people who have the app, and not a lot of people would want to actually put effort into constructively criticizing others' driving when they're busy going somewhere, especially in a place where they would have to pull over to do it or remember the number until they have the time to text. So unless your child does something ridiculously stupid or dangerous and happens across one of the few people who have the app, it's pretty much going to be useless.

Not to mention the people who download the free app to troll it whenever they see someone with one of those bumper stickers. I know a lot of dicks at my school who would download the app just to tell other students' parents that aforementioned other students drive like maniacs even through they don't. Considering that it's this generation that does the most with phones and a teen driver will likely be driving to places with other teens, I think there will be a lot of lying to people's parents about driving. It's coming from an anonymous source, after all, who knows if it's someone who almost got rear-ended by your kid or his ex-girlfriend getting revenge by saying he's a bad driver so he'll be grounded from his car.

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PandahSixx 2012/08/20 01:40:01

Harmful

+3
It's implying that teens are the worst drivers, and it's rather opinion based

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ExaltedGod to PandahSixx 2012/08/20 12:45:08 (edited)

Statistically you are going to be more bias of the age group you fall in. Also statistically, teens are the worst drivers because they fail to understand the courtesies of the road from years of experience. Also here is a study to back the claim.

^^ Source: http://drivenautos.com/2012/0...

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PandahSixx to ExaltedGod 2012/08/20 20:58:07

And what about older drivers in their 30's and up? I think they're the worst since most of them are prone to drunk driving

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ThickAzABrick 2012/08/20 01:35:47

Helpful

In theory it is a good idea. Here's hoping that it will be utilized by a passenger, not the driver of another car.

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