Text To Ticket Launches Unique Solution to Reduce Distracted Driving Company’s Mobile App Reports Texting Drivers to Law Enforcement

Today, Text To Ticket, Inc. announced the launch of its mobile app to assist law enforcement in ticketing those who violate distracted driving safety laws. Similar to private company programs like Red Light Traffic Cameras, Text To Ticket has developed an enforcement process for drivers who break minor traffic safety laws using crowdsourced video evidence.

Taking advantage of the expanding role of mobile devices in nearly all aspects of life, Text To Ticket enlists everyday citizens, who are not driving themselves, to collect video evidence of traffic safety violators. Using the app, people who witness a texting driver capture a video of that driver “in the act” along with the license plate of the vehicle, and then submit it to law enforcement for review. The app encrypts the data recording the date, time, location, route traveled and other information required to issue a ticket, and then uploads it to a server where it is digitally signed to avoid tampering and to preserve authenticity. Videos are then reviewed and approved by law enforcement who have the final authority to issue the ticket. For every video approved by law enforcement, the submitting user receives a $5 “bounty.”

The app is the brainchild of a group of friends who narrowly escaped being hit by a texting driver while crossing the street in busy San Francisco.  Shaken up by the incident, they decided to use technology to provide a solution. Founder and CEO Jesse Day said, “It’s time to educate people about the dangerous effects of distracted driving. As reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), those who text and drive are 6 times more likely to cause an accident than someone driving under the influence”

Text To Ticket has innovated and implemented a new, legal way to combat distracted driving,“ said Cyrus Zal, attorney at law. “State and Federal laws allow those who voluntarily become a licensed state driver to be recorded–there is no expectation of privacy on public roads.”

By providing law enforcement with a simple method to ticket violators, Text To Ticket can help reduce the number of accidents caused by distracted drivers. Per the NHTSA, people who receive citations for driving offenses are less likely to recommit that same offense. Additionally, helping municipalities enforce these offenses generates revenue for the city or county and makes the roads in their community safer.

Already in beta, Text To Ticket has hundreds of active users and many have submitted offenders and received the $5 bounty payout. The company is currently working with several municipalities in California to implement services and the conversations are promising. Investors have also found the idea promising; Silicon Valley-based  500 Startups just accepted Text To Ticket into its accelerator program and invested $150,000 into the company in exchange for 6% equity. The company has currently raised over $300k of its $750k seed round.

 

About Text to Ticket, Inc.

Launched January 2017 in Sacramento, California, Text To Ticket developed a patent-pending technology for their iOS and Android app which allows citizens to submit videos to law enforcement of people using a mobile device while driving   Co-founders Jesse Day, Steve Nguyen, Gagan Johal and Will McLellarn have backgrounds in public health, law enforcement and entrepreneurship and are currently enrolled in 500 Startup’s accelerator program.   Click here for a short video that explains how the app works.  For further information, visit https://www.texttoticket.com/.