Sprint Drive First helps parents keep their teens safe while driving

It's no secret that driving while texting or talking on a cell phone is dangerous but the practice is also more dangerous when you make those drivers teenagers. Sprint announced Monday their way to compete with teens using their cell phone while driving, Sprint Drive First is an application for Android smartphones that blocks calls and incoming text and email messages while users are in a car.

Sprint Drive First has team up with Location Labs to create the Sprint Drive First application, which also costs $2 per month. When a phone senses that it is in a car moving at 10 mph or more the phone will be locked with calls sent to voicemail and email and text messages silenced until the phone is unlocked. The technology uses GPS and cell tower triangulation to know a users speed at all times. When the phone detects that it is no longer in motion it will unlock itself for full functionality. 

Of course, in the case of emergency their is an override feature which allows users to make calls to 911. Parents, or account holders, can be setup to receive instant notifications if their child's phones are overridden as well. The override function is also available for use when a user is a passenger in a car or using other forms of transportation, such as bus or train.

The Sprint Drive First application is currently only available for Android smartphones using the network. Sprint says it will be offered on Blackberry and other operation systems "in the coming months." Currently users who want the Drive First app will have to download a software package from the Sprint website to activate the service for compatible devices. Android smartphones launched after late Q3 will have the appropriate software preinstalled.