STOP2TEXT – local residents are saving young driver’s lives

Panama City residents Steve Ashe and Grey McKenzie have developed a smartphone app for Android which will help stop texting and driving.

Steve Ashe has prepared a statement to explain the app:

“We believe we can stop the epidemic of teen related deaths due to texting and driving. The most important points that we would like people to know about the app are at it was developed locally by two grandfathers who worry about the safety and driving habits of our children and grandchildren. It is completely free to all and is available for Android devices on the Google Play Store. Using GPS the app blocks texting when your vehicle reaches 10-20 mph. If you receive a text while driving the sender receives an auto-response saying “I can’t reply, I’m driving”. Texting while driving is an extremely dangerous “Habit”. Stop2text is a tool for parents and young people to use to break that habit and perhaps most importantly, adults must lead by example. If they are driving distracted they can’t very well tell their children not to!”

The two app developers are supporting with their app the Bay County Sherriff’s Department’s “Teen Driver Challenge”, a two day course for new drivers.

The Sheriff’s Office is placing Stop2Text stickers on all three of the cars they use for driver training and are presenting the participants with a brochure explaining how the app works and a window sticker. To find out more look up the website: http://www.stop2text.com/.