When you see a distracted driver on the road, perhaps you’ve wished for a magic “do not disturb” feature that would keep other folks’ minds on their driving. While no magic is involved, Apple has implemented a new iPhone function called Do Not Disturb While Driving with their latest operating system, iOS 11. If you have an iPhone or other Apple device, you may be able to update to iOS 11 and use the new function. iOS 11 was released on September 19, 2017.
Helping Drivers Avoid Temptation
Many people cannot resist the lure of text messages, even when they know they should not be looking. Do Not Disturb While Driving (DNDWD) addresses the problem.
The “Do Not Disturb” function has been available on iPhones for some time, but the new function takes things a step further. DNDWD can be set up to detect automatically when you’re driving, hiding messages and keeping your phone silent to prevent distraction. You can also configure DNDWD to send an automated reply to a texter that informs them you’re driving.
Suppose you have a passenger? They can indicate to the phone that they are not the driver in order to disable the “locked” aspect of the DNDWD function, which automatically prevents data entry and the usage of many apps. If you like to use Apple Maps, you will still be able to see the maps, but only the passenger will be able to enter destinations or other data.
Interested in trying Do Not Disturb While Driving? You will need to configure the function on your phone.
Setting Up “Do Not Disturb While Driving”
Be aware that the exact steps needed to set up Do Not Disturb While Driving may be different that those listed below, depending on your phone or Apple device, and may also be different for each new version of iOS 11 that is released. Additionally, the directions below are based on the beta version of the software, and not the latest version available.
With those caveats in mind, here are the steps:
- Use Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls to add the Do Not Disturb While Driving function to the Control Center.
- Choose the green plus (+) sign appearing beside Do Not Disturb While Driving to activate it. You should see a car icon.
- You can toggle the function on and off as you wish.
Once you have gotten this far, you can decide exactly when you want to activate the Do Not Disturb While Driving function. First access Settings > Do Not Disturb, and then choose from one of the following options:
- The phone will detect when you are driving and lock itself without intervention. A passenger will need to disable the function manually.
- While Connected to Car Bluetooth. (Your vehicle must have Bluetooth.) Do Not Disturb While Driving will not be activated unless your iPhone and your vehicle are tethered.
- Do Not Disturb While Driving can be toggled on and off as you wish. There is no automatic activation.
We mentioned the automated reply message that is sent to those who text you; you can customize the outgoing message if you wish. Also, those who receive the automated reply can specify if their text is urgent, thereby overriding any system blocking of their message, allowing you to receive it immediately.
Finally—and this will be good news for parents—you can prevent someone from changing the Do Not Disturb While Driving setting. To do so, use General > Restrictions > Do Not Disturb While Driving.
Vehicular Crash? Turn to Steve Heisler, The Injury Lawyer.
Distracted driving is illegal in Maryland. At the Law Offices of Steven H. Heisler, we have devoted our practice to defending the rights of personal injury victims. We know how traumatic a serious accident can be for both the injured person and for his or her family. If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a vehicular accident, you may be entitled to various kinds of financial compensation, such as medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Keep in mind, however, that there is a statute of limitations – or a time limit – for filing personal injury claims. If you have been injured in an accident, you should not delay. Contact Steve today for a free initial consultation by calling 1-410-625-4878, or use our online form.