Every driver encounters complications from time to time. You run to reach your car before the meter runs out, arriving just as an officer tucks a ticket under your windshield wiper. You fill your gas tank only to see a much lower price at a station across town. You brag about your flawless driving record, and then a speeding camera catches you flying down the highway. You spend the afternoon sitting on the side of the road watching your engine smoke, just weeks after paying your last dime to a mechanic.
While you can’t prevent these situations from occurring, you now have access to a variety of apps that can make getting from point A to point B, less frustrating and much safer. You should search your app store to see what is available, but we’ll get you started by highlighting six of the coolest apps available for drivers today.
1. GasBuddy
Image courtesy of phandroid.com.
Have you ever panicked because you were low on gas and weren’t sure how close you were to a gas station? GasBuddy will fix that problem by allowing you to type in your city, state or zip code to generate a list of up to 10 nearby gas stations. The app will also tell you the prices at each of those stations, so you never again have to wonder if there’s a better deal down the street or one town over. If you’re heading for a town you’re not familiar with, your “buddy” will also give you directions to the station of your choice. There are currently more than 110,000 gas stations represented in the system, and you can narrow your search to stations offering specific grades of gasoline, including diesel.
This is a social app, so data is limited to submissions from users. Participating drivers report gas prices at stations in their area in order to collect points. If you participate, the information you report will help other drivers while placing you in the running for prizes.
GasBuddy is Available On:
- iOS
- Android
- Windows Phone
- Blackberry
Price: Free
2. Waze
Image courtesy of Wikipedia.org.
Report traffic and weather conditions where you’re driving right now, and other drivers will do you the same favor. Waze is a social app that allows more than 50-million users to help one another out on a daily basis. If you join the community, you may know to slow down because there’s a speed trap coming up or to take the back roads home because an accident has backed up the highway. Once information is posted to the app, it is immediately available to all drivers. When you need to find an alternate route, the app can even provide directions.
Keep Waze active on your phone while driving to receive alerts the moment they are submitted by other users. This is also a great app for coordinating large meetups. You can send other users an ETA when traveling to a meeting point, and you can check for ETAs from other members of your group as well.
Waze is Available On:
- iOS
- Android
- Windows Phone
Price: Free
3. Honk
Image courtesy of usatoday.com.
Tired of searching for your car on the parking lot? Honk will help you. Before you walk away from your parked vehicle, mark your spot on the GPS map provided by Honk. You may even want to take a picture of the parking spot or use the app to backtrack your route in order to find your car faster. You can even leave yourself a message with notes on finding your vehicle, either through voice or text. There’s never a reason to waste time searching for your vehicle whether it’s parked across town, underground or in a new city. When you park by a meter, Honk will even help you track the remaining time so that you avoid tickets.
Honk is Available On:
- iOS
Price: $0.99
4. iOnRoad – Augmented Reality Driving
Image courtesy of ionroad.com.
Some of the biggest driving hazards are hard to detect until it’s too late, but iOnRoad will give you more time to react. Mount your phone to your dash or windshield so that your camera can feed images to the app, and it will help you monitor the road for obstacles. Whether an unusual object is blocking your lane ahead or you’re getting too close to another car, the app sends you real-time alerts either visually or audibly. There’s also a setting to alert when your vehicle exceeds the speed limit. Whether you’re a new driver or an experienced driver interested in maximizing safety, this award-winning app serves as an extra set of eyes watching out for you and your passengers.
iOnRoad is Available On:
- iOS
- Android
Price:
- $4.99 from iTunes
- Lite version free for Android
- Pro version $2.00 for Android
5. RepairPal
Image courtesy of repairpal.com.
This award-winning app makes vehicle maintenance simple. When you take your car for repairs, you can log it into the app to create a convenient history. The app also lets you locate repair shops in your area and receive recommendations for your best options when repair is needed. It will even give estimates so that you know what to expect financially from needed repairs.
Should you ever be stuck on the side of the road, you can use the app to secure roadside assistance. If you prefer to fix minor issues personally, the app will let you know where to search for recommended stores selling vehicle parts. You can choose between online retailers as well as brick-and-mortar stores. This mobile version of repairpal.com only works in the U.S. at this moment.
RepairPal is Available On:
- iOS
- Android
Price: Free
6. DriveSafe.ly
Image courtesy of drivesafe.ly.
If you struggle to keep your mind on the road rather than your phone, download DriveSafe.ly immediately. When activated, the app will monitor your incoming messages and notifications, reading each one out loud and allowing you to respond vocally. From text messages to social media updates and email messages, this app will give you the information you crave while allowing you to keep your hands on the steering wheel. You can even adjust the speed of speech and select from 28 languages to ensure you understand the app. Customize an auto responder if you want to tell your friends that you’re driving and will return their message shortly.
Drivesafe.ly is Available On:
- Android
- Blackberry
Price: Free
What’s Your Experience?
Have you used any of these apps? Share your experiences to let other drivers know what works and doesn’t work for you.