COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) -- Drive safe and save money. That's the idea behind a brand new app designed by a woman in College Station, Texas.
As a busy mom and realtor, Megan Bock admits it can be hard to stay off her phone while behind the wheel.
"Am I getting a phone call or text from the school?" she asked. "Am I getting a phone call or text from a client that's really urgent?"
So when Marci Corry asked Bock to help beta-test her new app, she quickly said yes.
"We all share these roads in Bryan/College Station, so whatever we can do to motivate people to drive safer impacts all of us," Corry explained.
While the app doesn't stop you from texting, it does several different things to encourage you not to.
"What is really unsafe, what makes you 23 more times more likely to get in a accident, is when you are texting and driving," Corry said.
All you have to do is open it up before you get in the car. If you get a text while driving, and are tempted to respond, a screen pops up with a picture of your family and the words, "Is it really worth it?"
"It makes you realize, is that text really that important?" Corry added. "So important that I'll risk the life of a loved one in the backseat or someone on the road?"
For Bock, it's message received.
"They're more important than anything: my family," she said. "I need to be there for them and I need them to be safe."
The app also rewards you. For every minute of safe driving, you'll get six points.
"Then on the rewards page, you can choose where you want to redeem your rewards at," Corry explained. "You have about 18 incredible, reputable businesses."
Cafe Eccell is one of the many College Station area restaurants who are on board.
"I already have 5,000 points," Bock said. "I can't wait to use them for date night, to take the kiddos somewhere."
College Station's hands free ordinance goes into effect November 9, and Police Chief Scott McCollum is hoping this app will help with compliance.
"Anything we can do to change the behavior of our drivers and to make our roads safer is a step in the right direction," he said.
"I want to drive safe for myself and my family, and I want other people to drive safer for myself and my family and for them, so I'm excited to have a safer community," Bock said.
Again, the app is free to download in the Apple App Store. It's Safe2Save.
