Otter Text and Drive review [Android]

Despite dire warnings about the consequences of texting whilst behind the wheel, we still see a worrying large proportion of people using their phones to send messages when they’re driving. Tests have shown that distractions such as this mean you far more likely to be involved in an accident, which makes you wonder why people can’t resist the urge to reach for their mobile when on the road.

Thankfully, the guys behind Otter have come up with a solution that removes the temptation to reply to text messages received when you’re travelling. Using GPS, the app can sense when you’re in a fast-moving vehicle, and will automatically reply to any texts you get during this period with a message telling the sender you are driving.

It also silences any beeps or ringtones, unless you’re using a hands-free Bluetooth kit. This, therefore, removes the danger of you being distracted by reaching for your phone when you’re driving.

This feature alone is incredibly useful - more so than you might think at first. However, Otter’s functionality can be expanded to other situations as well. Once enabled, you can quickly reply to texts with pre-written messages.

Otter Text and Drive comes with several ‘situations’ pre-loaded as default, including Work, Social, Do Not Disturb and School.

Once you’ve selected one of these, you are given three possible replies when a text is received - one tap of the screen and your message is sent immediately, removing the need to type a lengthy reply when you’re in the middle of a meeting or watching a movie at the cinema. If you find the pre-formatted responses to be a little naff, you can input your own personal replies.