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New App Reads Texts Aloud While You Drive

BOSTON (CBS) - It's dangerous and it's against the law, still some people simply can't resist texting while driving. The National Safety Council reports thousands of accidents a year are caused by distracted drivers who divert their eyes from the road to read or send messages.

Now there is an App that can help you stay connected and keep your eyes on the road. It is called Drive Safe.ly.com. It automatically reads your text messages and emails out loud while you are in the car. It can even read shorthand messages like lol (laugh out loud) and brb (be right back). There is also an option that lets you write an automatic reply to let the sender know you are driving and will respond as soon as it is safe.

Barry Baker is a big fan.

"You can quickly make a decision on what's garbage and what's not while driving safely," he said.

As one of the managing partners of Boston Ventures, Drive Safe.ly, lets him sort through the hundreds of emails he gets every day. The benefits for a businessman like Baker are obvious, but he believes it would work well for teenagers and busy moms.

"It certainly breaks the urge to go read the blackberry when you should be focusing on the road," he said.

Not everyone is convinced it is a good idea. "It would still be a distraction, listening to the message and then wanting to reply," one man told us. "When I drive, I don't like to try to multi-task," another man said, "it doesn't work very well."

Drive Safe.ly is a free app, but you can get an upgraded version with additional features for a fee.

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