AT&T; hosted a hackathon as an additional part of the “It Can Wait” campaign. Participants were challenged to create an app to reduce distracted driving. Would you even believe that the winner of the competition was someone who has never even been behind the wheel. A quite impressive 11-year-old, Victoria Walker, beat out the competition with her app “Rode Dog”.

This app sounds like exactly what I need to conquer texting and driving. Have you experienced the annoying “ding ding ding” some cars make until the driver buckles her seat belt? If so, you’ll immediately understand why Rode Dog is so practical. The app deals with the serious issue of texting and driving in a lighthearted, playful yet effective way. Users enter a group of friends and family as their “pack”. If someone from your pack suspects that you are sending them a message while behind the wheel, they can order the app to start barking at the texter until she drops the phone. That’s right, barking! So the incessant “bark, bark, bark” of the Rode Dog app reminds you, the text can wait!

As winner of the hackathon, Victoria received $20,000 from AT&T; to bring Rode Dog to market. The app should be available to iOS, Android and Windows Phones devices before the end of the year.  Get ready for some barking!

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