How To Use Safe Driving Mode on iPhone

Smartphones have certainly made our lives easier in a number of ways. From providing us with seamless, turn-by-turn directions, to keeping us up to date on traffic and weather, smartphones can help us get to our destinations with confidence.

At the same time, smartphones can create dangerous distractions behind the wheel. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), cell phone use is one of the biggest contributors to distracted driving accidents each year. Meanwhile, another NHTSA survey finds that at any given moment (during daylight hours) in the U.S., 660,000 drivers are using electronic devices behind the wheel.

The good news is that both Apple and Android phones offer features to help drivers minimize phone distractions. On earlier iPhone devices, this feature was known as Do Not Disturb mode. On newer iPhones (iOS 15 and later), an innovative feature called Driving Focus helps drivers keep their attention on the road ahead.

What Is Safe Driving Mode or Driving Focus Mode on the iPhone?

Specifically, Driving Focus mode is a setting that can be enabled on all newer iPhone devices. It functions in a similar manner as the previous Do Not Disturb feature, temporarily limiting notifications (such as incoming calls and texts) or only allowing them through the car's hands-free Bluetooth or Apple CarPlay connection (if available). Driving Focus mode can also be set up so that Siri will automatically read any incoming texts directly to you.

The main goal of Driving Focus mode is to keep drivers from getting distracted by picking up their phones to check social media, making and receiving phone calls, or checking or sending text messages. Consider this: taking five seconds to read a text while traveling 55 mph is equivalent to driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed. This visual makes it easy to understand how Driving Focus mode can keep drivers from making dangerous, avoidable mistakes.

How To Set Up Safe Driving Mode

Driving Focus mode is a great way to minimize potential distractions, whether you're making a quick trip to the store or embarking on a long road trip. However, it's important for iPhone users to realize that this mode is not automatically enabled on iOS devices and must be set up manually.

Fortunately, setting up safe driving mode on an iPhone is quick and easy. To start, go to Settings and tap Focus. From there, tap the Add (+) button and then tap Driving. Then, hit the Next button and follow the prompts on the screen to customize controls. Here, you can personalize your Driving Focus settings and select which notifications (if any) you want to allow. You also have the option to designate certain contacts who can reach you in an emergency. You can even set up an auto-reply to let contacts know that you're unavailable while Driving Focus mode is on.

How To Toggle Driving Focus Mode On or Off Automatically

Once you set your preferences for your Driving Focus mode, you need to decide whether you want to toggle this feature on/off manually each time you drive, or use the Turn On Automatically feature. If you choose to toggle this setting manually, you simply need to open Settings, tap Focus, and toggle Driving on or off as needed. You'll know the mode is enabled when you see a car icon on your iPhone's status bar and lock screen.

Alternatively, to save yourself the hassle of remembering to turn on Driving Focus mode each time you get behind the wheel, you can enable it to turn on automatically. To do this, go to your settings app, tap Focus, and then tap Driving. Next, under Turn on Automatically, choose the option that best suits your needs. You can choose to turn on safe driving mode based on motion, connection to your car Bluetooth, or connection to Apple CarPlay.

Other Safe Driving Apps for iPhone

If you haven't already enabled and set up Driving Focus mode on your iPhone, set aside a few minutes to do so today. If you're looking to minimize distractions even further to keep yourself (and others) safe while on the road, there are a few other safe driving apps to consider downloading on your iPhone X, iPhone 8, or other Apple device.

OneTap

Remember "speed dial" on your old flip phone? The OneTap app is designed to bring back the convenience of tapping just one button or icon to reach your most important contacts. Specifically, this app allows you to create a launcher for each of your chosen contacts on your home screen. From there, all you have to do is tap on the person's icon to reach them via text, call, email, Facetime, or any other stored contact method.

EverDrive

Another free app for iPhone (also available on Android devices) is EverDrive. This innovative app actually monitors your driving habits, converting data into diagnostics and scores that you can review for yourself. What really makes this app stand out is the fact that it offers up to $50,000 in cash prizes for those who achieve top safety scores—giving you even more incentive to improve your score and stay safer on the road!

LifeSaver

This iPhone app, which is primarily designed for use by families and fleets, takes things a step further by actually blocking cell phone use while driving. This app uses a combination of Smart GPS and accelerometer-based driving detection to automatically lock an iPhone while the vehicle is in motion. From there, users receive points and scores based on their attention levels while driving. This is a great tool for parents of teen drivers to explore for a little extra protection and peace of mind. Teens can even convert their points into rewards, such as iTunes credits to purchase music or other media.

DriveMode

Those who use AT&T as their iPhone service carrier should take advantage of the free DriveMode app that is available to them. This app allows users to silence incoming texts and phone calls while driving. Like Driving Focus mode on the iPhone, this app can also be toggled to automatically turn on when the vehicle is traveling more than 15 mph.

Unlike Driving Focus mode, the DriveMode app also allows parents to monitor teen drivers, sending parents a text message if their teen driver disables the DriveMode app on their phone or makes changes to any of its features.

*Any and all references to third party products and sites are for informational purposes. Clearcover does not endorse or approve of any third party products referenced in this material.

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There's no denying that smartphones make many of our everyday tasks easier. However, there's a time and a place for smartphone use—and picking up your phone to send a text or make a call while driving can put you, your passengers, and fellow motorists at risk. By simply enabling Driving Focus mode on your iPhone, you can be proactive about minimizing distractions while you're behind the wheel.

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