10 of the Best Apps for Drivers

for the Langhorne/Philadelphia area, and beyond!

These days you can find a smartphone app for everything from playing to house hunting to dieting.  In fact, there are actually several useful apps made specifically for drivers that you may want to consider investing in. You can find apps for everything from finding the cheapest gas to preventing your teen from texting while driving. Just remember, whatever app you use to improve your driving experience, never use your smartphone while driving. 

1. GasBuddy (Free - on Android, iOS, Windows and Blackberry) Tired of paying for gas only to drive down the road and find it 10 cents cheaper? GasBuddy is the perfect solution! This innovative little app allows you to locate gas stations near you and see their current gas prices. GasBuddy utilizes a community of app users to report gas prices and help you find the cheapest station. Reporting prices earns you points and awards. 

2. PlugShare (Free - on iOS, Android) Drive an electric car? There's an app for you too! With PlugShare you can find more than 40,000 charging stations all over the world, and it will even show you the station's availability. For an added bonus, you can also pay for your charge right through the app! 

3. Safe Driver (Basic is Free; Pro Version is $4.99 - on iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad) Has your teen recently received their license to drive? Safe Driver is the app for you! This innovative app actually monitors your teen's location and driving practices. Parents are alerted via text or email when their child exceed a specific speed along with information about where the infraction occurred. 

4. DriveSafe.ly Pro ($13.95/year for single user; $34.95/year family plan- on Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, and Windows Mobile) Whether used for teens or yourself, this app is the answer to texting and driving. The Bluetooth and radio transmitter compatible app is designed to read text (SMS) messages and emails aloud in real time, and automatically respond without drivers having to touch (or look at) the device. It can even read text message shorthand like 'lol' and 'ttyl'; plus it uses very little power, so it won't drain your battery. 

5. Trapster (Free - on iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry) Wanting to avoid traffic jams and construction zones, or even speed traps?  Trapster is the best-known app for this and more. The app lets you know the location of traffic jams, constructions zones and even speed-cameras, red light cameras and live speed trap. The locations are displayed by icons on most smartphones. The app relies on users to report all of the above annoyances, and uses multiple user confirmations for validity. So when you encounter an area listed, you can confirm if the warning is still needed.    

6. Repair Pal (free - on iOS, Android) Need a repair? The Repair Pal app can help you get accurate (and fair) repair and service estimates no matter where you are. It also helps you to get roadside assistance, paying only when you need it as opposed to yearly membership plans. Plus you can easily and accurately keep your repair history with you by recording what you've done and make a checklist of what you need to do next. 

7. WAZE (free - on iOS, Android, and Windows) This free GPS navigation and traffic app is 100% powered by its users. You and other drivers in your area work together by sharing real-time traffic and road info. You can easily search for locations, view real-time traffic updates and get turn-by-turn directions using the fastest possible route. You can even use the app to find the cheapest gas in your neck of the woods. Waze is also home to an active community of online map editors who ensure that the data in their areas is as up-to-date as possible. 

8. Speedometer Speed Box (Free - on iOS and Android) Speedometer Speed Box is a quick and easy way to check if your car's speedometer is indeed working properly. The app also features the ability to calculate your average/max speeds, give speeding alerts, and calculating distance traveled, and can even display GPS accuracy. Use it in the car, on the ferry or even riding a bike! 

9. Parkopedia ($1.99 - on iOS and Android) There is little worse than driving around and around looking for a parking spot. Parkopedia is basically like an encyclopedia for parking spots. With coverage of more than 25 million parking spaces in close to 30 different countries, you shouldn't have any trouble finding a space! 

10. GasCubby ($1.99 - on iOS) Gas Cubby is the ultimate tool for tracking gas mileage and vehicle maintenance. This easy-to-use app helps you keep track of everything related to your vehicles. Track and chart gas mileage, gas prices, gas expenses, and maintenance expenses. The app also helps you keep maintenance records up to date, set alerts when upcoming maintenance is due, and even keep up with vehicle identification information such as your tag number, license number and VIN number.