TextNoMore: It’s like a nicotine patch to help prevent texting while driving

Now, we all know—or should know—that the habit of texting while driving is less than safe. Actually, it’s dangerous. Some studies say it’s as dangerous as driving drunk—perhaps moreso. And yet, millions of people do it every single day. Because we’re a little addicted to the whole texting thing. Even though it’s illegal.

Now, given that we live in a rewards-based, give-me-a-cookie-for-doing-what-I-should-be-doing-anyway society, one company may have a solution to help decrease the number of people texting behind the wheel–and in so doing make the roads safer. That company is Portland’s own TextNoMore.

How’s it work? TextNoMore is an app you install on your mobile phone. You tell TextNoMore when you start driving and it monitors your phone use. So what happens every time a text comes in? Here comes the cookie. Or the nicotine. Or whatever.

Simply turn the app on while driving, and when a text comes in, it will be held until the pre-selected time limit expires, or the app is turned off. For each text that was blocked, the user will receive a coupon for things like 50-percent off a haircut, 25-percent off clothing, food discounts and more. Users can also accrue minutes and save towards larger rewards, such as an iPhone, laptops and airline tickets.

Even better? The people sending you texts get rewards too.

People with smartphones that send texts to Text No More users will receive a message “person A is driving and cannot reply”, then the sender will also receive a coupon, regardless of whether or not they have the app. Future versions of the app will also integrate GPS tracking, in order to tailor the incoming rewards to the user’s current location.

Something tells me that the folks at Twitter are going to really, really like me. Well, until they go over to push notifications, that is.

The basic version of TextNoMore is free. The upgraded version runs $2.99. With $0.25 of the revenue on each app going to organizations that help families of accident victims.

For more information or to download the app, visit TextNoMore, follow TextNoMore on Twitter, or like TextNoMore on Facebook.

Published by Rick Turoczy

More than mildly obsessed with the Portland startup community. Founder and editor at Silicon Florist. Cofounder and general manager at PIE. Follow me on Twitter: @turoczy View all posts by Rick Turoczy