As you probably already know, traffic accidents are one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide and according to various studies, distractions with the mobile are one of the main causes of them. That is why in this article we are going to help you prevent the iPhone from bothering you while you drive, with a series of tips that are designed precisely for this purpose.
First of all, is it necessary to use a mobile phone?
We are each responsible for our actions, but on the road we are all involved and a distraction of our own can end up leaving a third party in a bad way. Therefore, first of all we recommend prioritizing common sense. Many times we attend supposed emergencies through the iPhone that really are not such and less when we are practicing driving, something that should demand our full attention. That is why, despite the fact that you can configure driving modes in iOS to avoid distractions, we recommend in this first point that you be the one who is aware. It should be noted that the use of a mobile phone can not only have serious health consequences, but also criminal consequences because it is classified as a crime in countries like Spain.
Operation of “Do not disturb while driving”
What does the iPhone do with this mode activated
This is an iOS mode that allows access to a series of settings that avoid distractions while driving. The first thing you will notice is that the iPhone goes silent and the screen remains off and if a message is received through the native app, it will be possible to configure the sending of an automatic message.
Although most notifications are silenced , there are some such as alarms, timers or reminders that remain in effect even when this mode is active. If you receive calls, you can configure them in the same way as the classic Do Not Disturb mode, being able to choose that none arrive, that it is only if they are insistent or only from certain contacts.
Requirements for this modality
You should know that to access this function you will have to have a version equal to or greater than iOS 11 , since it was in this version that it was released and has continued to be present until the most recent versions. And what devices can update to this version or later? Well, all of the following:
- Iphone 5s
- iPhone 6/6 Plus
- iPhone 6s / 6s Plus
- iPhone SE (1st generation)
- iPhone 7/7 Plus
- iPhone 8/8 Plus
- iPhone X
- iPhone XS / XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
- iPhone 12/12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max
It should be noted that the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X already had iOS 11 installed as standard and all the following have a later version as a series version, so the Do Not Disturb while driving mode is also present in them. Remember that if you have one of these and it has not been updated, you can do it from Settings> General> Software update.
Accepted configurations
If you meet the requirements mentioned above, you can go to Settings> Do Not Disturb to configure this mode. It is within the classic Do Not Disturb mode, so on a functional level it is quite similar. In this mentioned section of the settings you must go where it says “Activate” (under “Do not disturb while driving”) and click on this button. By default “Manually” appears, but these settings exist:
- Automatically . When the iPhone detects a movement that could be from a vehicle, this mode will be activated.
- When connecting to the car’s Bluetooth . If your vehicle has this mode and you connect it normally to listen to music or the like, it will be activated when you pair it through Bluetooth connectivity.
- Manually . It can only be activated manually by yourself from the Control Center.
As an additional mode there is “Activate with CarPlay” , the car interface that Apple has for its iPhone and the cars that are compatible with it. If you use it normally, iPhone will automatically activate Do Not Disturb Driving mode when the connection occurs.
How it can be activated or deactivated
The way to activate this functionality is very simple since you just have to open the Control Center and click on the car icon. If this icon does not appear, you will have to add it from Settings> Control Center, by clicking on the ‘+’ button that appears next to this mode.
If you are not driving and it activates itself
There are times when the iPhone can interpret that you are driving if you are in a car, bus or other means of transport. This normally occurs when the “Automatically” setting that we mentioned in previous points is activated. If you are not really driving and you are going as a passenger, you can deactivate it through a pop-up message that will appear or manually with the aforementioned. Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult for the iPhone to be accurate in this regard and when in doubt about whether you are driving or not, it will activate it as a preventive measure.
You can send automatic messages
If you are driving it is clear that you will not be able to answer messages, but there is an option within Settings> Do not disturb, going to the end of everything, which allows you to send automatic responses to messages. You can configure if you want not to send them to anyone, only your recent contacts, favorites or all.
And how does this work? Well, basically it sends a message to the contact who sends a message beforehand and does so with a personalized response that you can choose yourself or leave the one that is predefined:
“I am driving with ‘Do not disturb while driving’ mode activated. I will see your message when I reach my destination.”
Unfortunately, this functionality is only available in the messages app and more specifically in the integrated iMessage service, so you will only be able to respond this way to your contacts who have an Apple device and use this communication channel.
Possibility of sending WhatsApp and others by voice
In the previous point we discussed the impossibility of choosing automatic responses natively for other applications that were not messages. There are some applications that do allow it in their own configuration, but the most popular ones such as WhatsApp, Telegram and others do not allow it. However, there is the possibility of sending a message through these messaging services using Siri.
For this you will have to have activated the voice command “Hey Siri” on your iPhone and recite it when you want to send a message. For example:
Hey Siri, send a WhatsApp message to Laura saying “I’m driving, I’ll call you when I get there.”
This is a valid example for the WhatsApp app, but also for Telegram and others like the very native Messages app itself. Once this command is said, the wizard may ask you for confirmation, for which you can respond with a brief “yes” or “agree” to send the message. If you also have Apple CarPlay and you have the iPhone connected, this action can be carried out in the same way. In fact, it must be said that if you want to have this interface in your car, you must have the assistant activated (you can check it in Settings> Siri and search).
Take advantage of voice GPS directions
Most, if not all, of GPS applications have visual and voice prompts. Many of them require that this function be activated and, logically, have the iPhone volume at a level that can be heard. In the native Apple Maps application there are these voice alerts and although it is true that many times we need to look at the screen to know exactly an indication, it is more advisable to be attentive to the road and listen to the voice instructions that are given without distracting the look. If you have no choice but to look, try to keep it from a millisecond glance so you don’t lose control.
The Apple Watch can be your greatest ally
Threading with the above, if you have an Apple Watch and make routes through Apple Maps, you can follow the directions on your wrist. On the watch these are shown in a simple way so that at a glance they are understood and if we take into account that you should always carry your arm on the wheel, you will not be looking away too much when you look at it. In any case, its main functionality is in the vibrations it emits when you have to turn or take an exit. There are some other popular apps like Google Maps also have version availability in watchOS.
Don’t get distracted by music
We understand that the time we spend in the car can be boring at times and music is something that makes us come up and carry it with more optimism. However, it is not advisable to continually touch the iPhone playback controls if we carry it connected to the car to listen to our favorite songs. The advice we give you in this regard is that before starting select a playlist of songs that you want to listen to so that you have to interact as little as possible with the music control panel.
Is it advisable to use a handsfree for calls?
A few years ago it was common to see drivers on the road with headphones that served as hands-free calls. However, Spanish law currently prohibits the use of this type of accessories at the wheel, so they are no longer valid elements. The reason for this is that it is also important to pay attention to the sounds of the roads (emergency vehicles calling for a pass, other drivers’ horns, etc.).
If you do not reside in Spain, we advise you to consult what the law of your country or state says about these devices. In any case, there are some external elements on the market that allow you to connect to the car via Bluetooth or through the cigarette lighter connector. Their installation is usually simple and they come equipped with a microphone so that your interlocutor can hear you well, while you will listen to him through the speakers that your car already brings. There are also some cars that, without the need to be compatible with CarPlay, come with a hands-free as standard so as not to have to install anything.
In short, as we mentioned at the beginning of this article, it is possible to have a certain control of the iPhone while driving, but always following these recommendations to prevent these actions from distracting from the main task. That being said, have a good trip!
