Pittwater Life January 2019 Issue

New app combats phone
News
The number of injuries
and deaths from driver
distraction due to
mobile phone use continue
to spiral at an alarming rate,
with latest research showing
it contributes to almost a
quarter of all car accidents.
In NSW the offence carries
a fine of $337 and 5 demerit
points – but regardless,
approximately 25% of
surveyed drivers
report using their
hand-held mobile
phone daily to answer
or make calls, as well
as read text messages,
while 14% report
using their handheld
phone to send a text
message each day.
The frightening
statistics prompted
local IT software
professional and
entrepreneur
Remo Behdasht to tackle the
problem – from the heart. He
has developed the disruptor
App ‘LifeGift’, which uses
emotion-based alerts to make
users think again when they
reach for their phones.
It’s the world’s first
emotion-based smartphone
distraction alert app for
drivers and pedestrians.
“Like everyone, I have been
guilty of using my phone
while driving,” Remo told
Pittwater Life. “Whenever I
touched my phone my kids
would say ‘dad
– what are you
doing?’.”
Remo said there
was increasing
pressure on people
to stay connected,
with FOMO – ‘the
fear of missing out’ –
always present.
“And when the
boss emails you and
you’re on the road, or
you receive the next
Insta-post, you feel pressure
to reply straight away.”
He explained LifeGift was
designed to change driver
behavior and get the focus
back on the road; and for
pedestrians, awareness to
their surroundings.
Put simply, when a user
interacts with their phone
in the car, they receive a
personalised photo, message
and audio from a friend
or loved one, warning
them to think twice before
proceeding.
“LifeGift is designed to be
sent as a gift to people in our
lives who we want to protect
from the dangers of mobile
phone distractions, including
10 JANUARY 2019
The Local Voice Since 1991