It is estimated that one in four teens text and talk on the phone while driving. Scary thought, isn’t it? Darcy Ahl thought so, too, after she witnessed her 16-year-old son trying to answer a phone call while driving. She has since then developed a phone app that may prevent thousands of cell phone related accidents each year.

iZup is an application available for Blackberries and devices running Windows Mobile and Android OS. At the rate of about $5 a month (or $50 a year), the app uses GPS technology to detect movement. Once it detects movement of over 5 miles per hour, it locks the phone. During the locked state, all incoming texts and calls are stored for later viewing. All outgoing texts and calls are also disabled. Fortunately, emergency numbers such as 911 and parents’ numbers can be made exempt from the block, just in case of a real accident.

I think this a great idea for teens, considering the number of deaths that result from these kinds of incidents every year. It seems that going from generation to generation kids seem to be getting more and more rambunctious. Hopefully apps like these will encourage more safe driving.

For more information, here’s a helpful article.