Is there an Android app that will warn me about accidents before I leave?

A frustrating 1 hour 45 to crawl down the M66 through Rossendale this morning thanks to an accident further down the M60. If I’d know when I left home I could have avoided the motorway altogether.

So can anybody recommend an app, that I can check before leaving home?

Google maps and turn on traffic. Or Waze.

Google now tells me estimated travel times and advises of any delays for me

Google Maps

Mine just does it. Part of Google Now perhaps?

Waze works well.

You can check their live map on a PC before you leave as well.

Google Maps
Waze (Google bought them, so not sure if any better than GMaps these days as they seem to share data)
RAC Traffic for old school updates.

google maps.
amber bits are slow moving and the red bits means free of any congestation no delays… only joking that means even slower or stopped.

Google Maps/Google Now. Make sure you set your workplace address. Use Android Auto (and ideally an NFC tag to tap the phone against when you get into the car) and it’ll suggest work as your destination, just one tap to have maps running and watching for delays.

I use Google Maps a lot but you have to zoom in on the route and check for deep red where traffic isn’t moving. What I need is a text alert when there’s an accident on my usual motorway route. I guess if such a thing exists, somebody will have monetised it meaning I’ll need to subscribe.

Google gives me alerts without me opening maps. I think it knows my regular route to work and home and works out where I’m going. Alerts pop up on my phone and smartwatch.

Google also knows when I’m driving, not sure whether that is because my phone pairs the car or because location services work out I’m moving.

What I need is a text alert when there’s an accident on my usual motorway route.

At the risk of repeating myself, that’s what Google Now (I think) does. I get an alert if there’s delays on my commute.

What I need is a text alert when there’s an accident on my usual motorway route.

Google will do this, but it needs to do that you’re going to be travelling. It finds out about where you’re going from entries in your (Google) calendar or from your home/work location settings (and probably from emails in GMail about flight/hotel bookings and the like).

There are lots of systems that will automatically reroute you to a faster route if there are hold-ups. Pretty sure Google does this.

So can anybody recommend an app

Tinder?

as above, google maps / google now.

Google maps certainly warns and gives the option to change route on the fly if you have navigation running. The alerts I get regardless. Probably helps that I just tick yes to every option going so google probably even knows what colour pants I’m wearing today 🙂

I get the train into work. Usually snooze on the way in, and find a couple of messages about what a state the M25 is in when I get to Waterloo. Handy.

perchypanther – Member

So can anybody recommend an app

Tinder?[/quote]I see what you did there…

Google will do this, but it needs to do that you’re going to be travelling. It finds out about where you’re going from entries in your (Google) calendar or from your home/work location settings (and probably from emails in GMail about flight/hotel bookings and the like).

I used Now for a bit- pretty sure it learnt my commute and started alerting me to traffic on weekdays without me ever telling it where home or work were. Honestly, in the end I found the various ‘slightly too clever for it’s own good’ guesses a bit creepy and turned it off (I wasn’t really using it much so wasn’t a loss).

I live in Rossendale and feel your pain.

Google maps does it, but only if you opt in to Google Now / search history / web history so that remembers and learns where you go on different days.

I get notifications on my phone when there are delays on my route before set off.

If you want more real time then Waze does it pretty well, based on feedback from waze users further ahead in the traffic. I tried it but didn’t like the user interface as much as google maps

has anyone mentioned google maps/now? 🙂

Yes you have to sign up/in, but it works i get a message on my screen if issues and also if there is any local traffic to be aware of.

I use Google Maps a lot but you have to zoom in on the route and check for deep red where traffic isn’t moving

You don’t, if the delay is significant it will tell you, it won’t bother you about a 3 minute delay so no need to zoom in. Its only downfall is when a road is closed, or its snowy armageddon, as no one is moving it sometimes shows the road with no traffic information, not even green. This can result in thinking you are being clever and diverting to another route that is blocked.

Waze for me, it has an excellent widget that tells you how long it will take to get to and from work. It also routes you around all the traffic where possible as well.

Waze. It uses “social network” approach, so people report accidents etc and also app can tell if you are stoped / going slowly on a road which is supposed to be free flowing. It works best the more users there are. It was biight by Google but is still run as a seperate app.

I find waze patchy – never had it installed myself, but a colleague does. Many traffic incidents don’t exist and in just two journeys we had a few weird exit/re-enter moments at motorway junctions.

It’s a great idea but not quite there yet IMO.

Its only downfall is when a road is closed, or its snowy armageddon, as no one is moving it sometimes shows the road with no traffic information, not even green.

Get this happening all the time in London when the Blackwall is closed. For some reason it will also fail to pickup that the surrounding areas are gridlocked.

I use Google Maps going cross town even if I know the route, it’s saved me some long delays, for example when a motorway was flooded it directed me to some side roads. If it doesn’t show my usual route I know there’s an issue.

If you are a regular commuter, Google Now/Siri/Cortana/Alexa (I think) will tell you *before* you normally leave if there are problems.