There are many unsafe situations which you need to manage as you take your family on holiday - from smash-and-grab hotspots, to areas where accidents are common due to poor visibility, road works or insufficient road maintenance.
Your cell phone can help you navigate these dangers, if fitted with the correct applications and services. "Location-based services (LBS) on your cell phone can be a lifesaver in potentially dangerous situations," says Jacques Swanepoel, managing director of Cellfind, a member of Blue Label Mobile.
LBS services help to stay in touch with family while on the road and are especially practical when travelling at night, need to make an unavoidable trip through a dangerous area, or are embarking on a long journey. By using LBS services like Vodacom look 4 me and MTN WhereRU, family can track you without the distraction of a phone call while driving. They can request your location by sending a query using SMS, USSD or by visiting a website. Your position is determined by locating your cellphone using cellular towers and the information is sent back as text or a map.
Swanepoel says that LBS services like Vodacom look 4 me and MTN 2MyAid turn the cellphone into a panic button, summoning help when you need it most. With the press of an assigned speed dial, your location is established and the information is sent via SMS to four pre-determined emergency contacts.
These services require no additional software, can be accessed from any cell phone and are available at an affordable monthly fee.
