Three Japanese companies have joined forces to reward drivers for not using their phones while driving, making use of an innovative smartphone app.

Auto maker Toyota Motor Corporation, coffee company Komeda and telecommunications operator KDDI Corporation kicked off the initiative in September, using a smartphone app called Driving Barista.

The companies hope to reduce the number of traffic accidents in the Aichi Prefecture caused by drivers using their smartphones while driving.

For 13 consecutive years, Aichi Prefecture has had the highest rate of traffic fatalities in Japan.

In 2015, there were 44 369 traffic accidents that resulted in injuries or deaths. There were also 50 101 arrests involving the use of smartphones while driving.

The Driving Barista app can only be used within Aichi Prefecture.

By using the gyro sensor to sense the tilt of the smartphone body, and the global positioning system to determine the distance driven, the app measures the distance the driver has driven while leaving the smartphone facedown.

When the cumulative distance reaches 100 km, the driver is entitled to a coupon for a cup of blended or iced coffee at a Komeda Coffee Shop.

Any use of a smartphone, regardless of whether the car is moving or stationary at a traffic signal, for example, counts as use of a smartphone while driving.

According to one survey, around 60% of respondents said they use their smartphones while driving, with about half of these respondents keeping only one hand on the steering wheel.

The three companies hope that the new application will raise drivers’ awareness about not using smartphones while driving.

“South Africa has one of the world’s highest road accident rates, with around 25% of these accidents caused by drivers using their cellphones while driving,” comments Toyota South Africa Motors marketing VP Glenn Crompton.

“South Africa is experiencing an increase in accidents caused by cellphone [use] while driving, resulting in a major economic impact on the country’s gross domestic product.

“Driving Barista is currently in the pilot stage, but we hope that similar apps will make their way to South Africa soon.”