Top 9 Apps for Safe Driving

Last Updated on October 15, 2026

By James Shaffer Reviewed by Thomas Rockford, insurance industry executive and financial analyst, on October 15, 2026 How we fact-check

Better driver training programs and safer cars have helped, but crashes still kill tens of thousands of people a year. NHTSA estimates that 36,640 people died in U.S. traffic crashes in 2025, down 6.7% from 39,254 in 2024, and it counted 3,208 deaths in crashes involving distracted drivers in 2024. In recent years, traffic fatalities have fluctuated, especially during and after the pandemic. New drivers continue taking to the road every day, and safety education must evolve to meet modern habits. Because nearly every driver carries a smartphone, road safety education and technology now work hand-in-hand. Whether you want to stop texting while driving, monitor a teen’s habits, or get help in an emergency, there’s an app for nearly everything.

  • Smartphone safety tools have evolved — many outdated apps are gone, replaced by modern, reliable alternatives.
  • Built-in phone features like Apple’s Driving Focus and the Driving mode on Pixel phones can silence notifications automatically while you drive.
  • Today’s top tools focus on blocking texts, monitoring teen driving, locating fuel, pricing repairs, hands-free messaging and calling for help after a crash.
  • Apps help reduce distractions, but they aren’t a substitute for defensive driving and staying focused behind the wheel.

Below are nine of the most useful safe-driving tools available today. Most are free apps you download or features already built into your phone. Two are different: RepairPal is a website you use in your browser, and Progressive Snapshot is included as one labeled example of an insurer’s telematics program, which scores your driving for pricing and does nothing to stop your phone from distracting you.

1. LifeSaver – iPhone & Android

LifeSaver wakes up automatically when you start driving and locks the phone until you stop. It has an emergency unlock and a passenger unlock, and both send a notification. Its Family View lets parents see when a teen is driving and get a notice when they arrive, and its dashboard scores driving habits so a family can set its own rewards. It’s free to download with in-app purchases, and there is a separate version for company fleets.

2. SaferCar – iPhone & Android

SaferCar is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s own app. It gives quick access to NHTSA’s 5-Star Safety Ratings, recall alerts, a way to report a safety problem, VIN lookup or scanning, and child car seat guidance. It notifies you automatically if your vehicle or car seat becomes part of a recall. It’s free for iPhone (iOS 17 or later) and Android (7.0 or later).

3. GasBuddy – iPhone & Android

GasBuddy finds nearby stations and lets you sort by fuel price, location or amenities like restrooms, and you can map a road trip to see prices along the route. Prices are listed for the U.S. and Canada. The app is free to download, and its optional Pay with GasBuddy+ membership takes at least 3 cents a gallon off, with more at select stations.

4. RepairPal – Website

RepairPal’s Fair Price Estimator gives you a fair price range for repairs, from routine oil changes to major breakdowns, and its site lists more than 4,300 certified repair shops and dealerships nationwide. RepairPal’s site doesn’t link to a phone app, so use it in your phone’s browser. It’s a good way to know what a repair should cost before you hand over your keys.

5. Insurer Telematics Example: Progressive Snapshot – iPhone & Android

Progressive’s Snapshot is here as one example of an insurer telematics program. It is a pricing tool run by an insurance company, and it isn’t an independent safety app. It looks at things like hard braking, trips between midnight and 4 a.m. on weekends, how much you drive and, in some states, handheld phone use. Progressive says drivers who earned a Snapshot discount saved an average of $328 at renewal, but a discount isn’t guaranteed, and Progressive also says your rate may go up with high-risk driving. Snapshot isn’t offered in California, and what it measures varies by state. Because it records data about your trips, read its privacy terms before you enroll to see what it collects and who the data may be shared with. Keep in mind that a phone-use score only affects your price. It won’t silence a single text while you drive, so pair it with a blocker like LifeSaver or your phone’s Driving Focus. Many other insurers run similar programs, so ask your own insurer what its app tracks and whether it can raise your price.

6. Apple Driving Focus / Pixel Driving Mode – Built-In

Some of the best distraction blockers are already on your phone. On an iPhone, Driving Focus can turn on by itself when the phone detects driving motion, connects to your car’s Bluetooth or connects to CarPlay. It silences or limits texts and notifications, and your favorites and other contacts you choose get an automatic reply; they can send “urgent” to get through. Pixel phones have a Driving mode that can be set to turn on automatically while driving. Both are free.

7. Hands-Free Messaging – CarPlay & Android Auto

Apps that read texts aloud used to be a separate download. Now the feature is built in. With CarPlay on iOS 15 or later, Siri can announce an incoming message and read it to you, and Android Auto lets you ask Gemini or Google Assistant to read your messages and speak a reply. Hands-free still takes some of your attention, so keep replies short or wait until you park.

8. Crash Detection – iPhone & Pixel

If you are hurt in a crash and can’t reach your phone, newer phones can call for help on their own. Crash Detection is on by default on iPhone 14 and later, Apple Watch Series 8 and later, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) and Apple Watch Ultra. After a severe crash, if you don’t respond, it calls emergency services and sends your emergency contacts a message with your location. Pixel 4a and later phones offer Car Crash Detection, which asks out loud whether you need help and, if you don’t answer within 60 seconds, calls emergency services and shares your approximate location. On a Pixel it needs a SIM and works only in that SIM’s home country.

9. Waze – iPhone & Android

Waze can show your speed next to the posted limit. Turn on the speedometer and, if you go over the limit, it turns red and alerts you. You can add a sound alert and choose your own speeding threshold. The app is free to download.

Using technology to encourage safe driving is a great way to provide educational and preventive tools for drivers of all ages. Still, no app can replace defensive driving skills, awareness, and common sense. The safest approach will always be keeping your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel.

My advice is to set up Driving Focus or Driving mode on every phone in the house tonight, starting with your teen’s, since it costs nothing. If you try your insurer’s driving app, ask in writing whether it can raise your rate before you enroll.

Sources

Checked October 15, 2026