Apps to Improve Your On-the-Road Experience

Apps to Improve Your On-the-Road Experiences

Track expenses, encourage driver awareness, find rest stops and earn rewards.  Brought to you by Nationwide Insurance^®

Smartphones not only help drivers in an emergency, they can also make your travel more efficient, fun, productive and safe. Just remember, under no circumstances should you use these apps while driving. Pull off the road to a safe location before reaching for your phone. Here are some apps that can be of assistance to you and your fellow passengers.

Trip Splitter
If you’re prone to spontaneous road trips with friends, Trip Splitter can save you the trouble of having to figure out who owes how much to whom for whatever it is that you spend money on. Frequent business travelers can also make good use out of this app, as it can neatly organize whatever you charge to the company card. All of your road trip expenses can be entered and assigned to the respective passengers. And let's say you spent less money on dinner than your travel companions—the app can split the tab in uneven denominations to ensure that no one winds up paying more than his or her fair share. You can categorize your purchases, view daily expenses and even convert currency if you travel abroad. Available for iPhone.

SeeClickFix
Driver awareness is of utmost safety importance, so if a pothole pops up or lane demarcation lines are fading, this app can help you get the word out. With a few clicks, you can file a public report on a non-emergency issue to the local government and monitor its progress. You can also track other user-submitted issues in your neighborhood. In Philadelphia, an advocacy group used this app to report on instances of idling cars, which led to new clean-air initiatives. What would you like to see fixed in your neighborhood? Available for Android, Blackberry, and iPhone. 

Have2P Restroom Locator
We’ve all been there. You’re on the road, and suddenly you're having buyer’s remorse over that large iced tea you drank earlier. Once you safely pull to the side of the road, reach for this app, and you’ll be shown the location of nearby restrooms, be they in a gas station or business with public facilities. Bonus: Users submit cleanliness ratings, which makes the app that much more useful. Available for iPhone. 

Drive Alive
Safe drivers know that using a phone while on the road is a no-no. Drive Alive rewards drivers that put their phones aside for the duration of their trip. Unlike other apps that discourage texting and phone usage, Drive Alive doesn’t lock your phone, it simply monitors it via GPS. The more strictly you adhere to the no-phone policy while driving, the greater you’ll be rewarded with cash (delivered to a PayPal account) and gift cards. And drivers aren’t the only ones who benefit—passengers can sign up too. Available for Android (an iPhone app is in the works).