When thinking of anything outside the box, Japan has done most of that. The Asian country, also famous for their weird yet adorable commercials, is adding another item in their ever growing list of only-in-Japan exclusives - an app that rewards people free coffee for not using their phone while driving.
The app named 'Driving Barista' calculates the distance traveled by the user with his or her phone faced down. For the first 60 miles, the driver earns a coupon for a free cup of 'Komeda Coffee'. Then earns another one for every successful 120 miles run.
Cheaters won't be able to hack the system though as the phone's GPS and built-in gyroscope will trigger a 'failure' notification if one tries to use the phone, or even simply move it. A real test of obedience for anyone who wants a coffee more than checking their social media feeds, Travel And Leisure reports.
The initiative stemmed from the alarming increase of traffic accidents in Japan in which 'driving-while-using-phone' is the main culprit. In particular, Japan's Aichi Prefecture had the highest rate of traffic accidents and fatalities for thirteen consecutive years, which ignited the project to its inception in order to raise awareness and reduce the number of traffic related incidents, specifically in Aichi Prefecture.
According to Toyota Japan's news site, Masahi Komamba, managing director of Komeda said "As a company that has been supported by the residents of Aichi Prefecture, we hope to help reduce the number of traffic accidents there through our participation as a provider of great coffee."
Though the success of Driving Barista is yet to be seen, initiatives like this should be carried-on not only in Japan but to other countries as well. It may not always have to be an app or a free coffee but something that could raise awareness on responsible driving.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
