There are plenty of apps that track running data from a fitness perspective, but considerably fewer which aim to keep runners safe.
That is the goal of Road ID, a mobile app which offers a so-called eCrumb tracking service, allowing friends, family or anyone else you choose to track you in real-time on a map when you are out running — or any other outdoor activity when you will be away for some time.
This can be done from any phone, computer or tablet — regardless of whether the Road ID app is installed. All users have to do is to send out a quick message, detailing how long they intend to be out and this is then delivered through email or SMS to the person they want to track their activity.
That is not all the app can do, either. It also offers a Stationary Alert feature, which sends a notification to the emergency contact if the user being tracked is stationary for more than five minutes.
Road ID’s director of marketing and strategic partnerships, P.J. Rabice, told Digital Trends that the origins of the mobile app trace back to June 2010. At the time, Road ID’s main product was its famous line of identification tags which included ID information for runners and cyclists.
“Road ID co-founder Edward Wimmer and [myself] were on a bike ride when the topic of extending Road ID into the digital space came up,” Rabice said. “Both of [us] were often asked by people if there was a tracking chip inside a Road ID. The answer to that question [was] no, but we began discussing how the Road ID product could be extended to the digital realm.”
The solution they eventually settled on was the Road ID app, which the company subsequently launched as part of its mission to “save lives and provide priceless peace of mind.” While it is a tool you hopefully will never need to use, it is certainly one that is worthy of having as an app.
The Road ID app is available through both the iOS and Google Play store.
