Even a NIS 1,000 fine is not enough to prevent us from texting while driving.
Maybe positive reinforcement would help more?/ShutterStock
Car accidents due to cell phone use are today the most dangerous offense in the estimation of law enforcement officers, and the most difficult to prove.
Many steal a glance at the screen or type a message, and then prove that this is the reason they crashed, ran over or flew off the road.
The traffic division of the police estimates that cell phone use causes at least 20 percent of fatal accidents today, much more than not keeping a distance, running a red light, or driving at excessive speed.
Globally, it is estimated that 9% of the 1.35 million people killed on the roads every year die because of cell phone use.
The legislator tried to deal with the problem with a relatively severe punishment: a fine of NIS 1,000 and 8 mandatory points, a significant step towards a corrective driving course, or a disqualification for the driver.
A young Israeli startup tries to deal with the problem from the other side: through positive reinforcement. LETSTOP's application gives crypto-currencies to drivers who will not use their mobile phones while driving.
The company was founded by the entrepreneur Almog Nissan after he had a car accident in which a car crossing a red intersection hit him.
The app monitors phone usage while driving and gives users credits for every minute of driving without touching the device.
The credits accumulated in the application can be redeemed in the virtual store to purchase vouchers for various businesses.
In addition, they are convertible to the dedicated cryptocurrency, STOP, which can be traded on crypto exchanges.
The calculation of the rewards is carried out taking into account factors such as the user's level in the application, his monthly accumulated balance and the trip score.
The company is supported by experts in the automotive, crypto and artificial intelligence fields.
The company aims to create a global community that works to make the roads safer.
As part of the service, the company provides drivers with tips using an advanced artificial intelligence system, which analyzes the data collected while driving and provides immediate feedback and personalized recommendations to improve driving.
The entrepreneurs Dor Levy and Almog Nissan/PR
Behind LETSTOP stand Dor Levy and Almog Nissan, veteran entrepreneurs in the investment field.
The inspiration to found the company came after Almog had a serious car accident caused by a driver who ran a red light.
"I experienced firsthand the devastating consequences of distracted driving," says Almog.
"We are not just an app, but an enterprise that aims to create a safer driving culture. We want to reward positive behavior and encourage users to drive responsibly."
"The need for safe and responsible driving is more essential than ever, and precisely these days, a positive and encouraging attitude, together with rewards and prizes, can be an effective tool for changing the behavior of drivers," explains CEO Dor Levy, an entrepreneur in the crypto field and manager of investor communities.
The company raised as much as Hundreds of thousands of dollars in the first fundraising round, and the service is already running for about 40 pilot users. Each user can accumulate up to 150 credits per month in the application, which is equivalent to 20 dollars. To continue accumulating coins, the user must purchase a paid premium package. The company manages a "M with some luxury car importers to purchase sponsorship for the activity, so that their symbols will appear on the vehicles in the app, as an additional source of income.
More on the same topic:
car accidents
cellular