November 25, 2012|By Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel
It sounds like a recipe for disaster: young people using their iPhones to help them drive.
But Broward County [1] Public Schools is hoping a new free iPhone app will actually help students become safer on the road.
The district-designed app, available for both the iPhone and the iPad, contains the entire Florida Department of Motor Vehicles driving manual, a study guide, test prep questions, safe driving videos, a driving log and online registration for driving courses. The app also contains a wealth of safety information, although school district officials acknowledge the most unsafe thing kids can do is use the app while they actually driving.
"That was one of our reservations about publishing this," said Matthew Schroeder, a driver's ed curriculum supervisor. "We want to make it clear it is not to be used behind the wheel."
He said the information is basically the same as what students can find on the district's driver's ed website, http://www.browardschools.com/driversed.
"This is simply another source of information," Schroeder said. "Not everyone has access to a computer."
While there are plenty of driver's education apps available at the website, Schroeder said he couldn't find any others run by school districts. Some are operated by state DMVs; others were designed by private vendors.
"We kind of consider ourselves ahead of the curve," he said. "We wanted to utilize technology. We know so many students have smartphones, and we wanted to make it as easy as possible to become a better educated driver."
The app is meant as a supplement, not a replacement for actual classes. To get class credit and meet DMV requirements, students will still have to sign up for classes, which are held on Saturdays and during the summers at 15 high schools around the county.
The app, called Broward Schools Drivers Ed, can be downloaded for free at the Apple iTunes App store. If successful, district officials hope to expand it to Android devices and other platforms.
stravis@tribune.com or 561-243-6637 or 954-425-1421
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