People who use a mobile phone while driving are 4 TIMES more likely to have a crash, putting themselves and other road-users at an increased risk of death or serious injury, the Road Safety Authority said today.
Making no distinction between hand-held and hands-free usage of mobile phones, Noel Brett of the RSA said that “using a mobile phone while driving distracts the driver, impairs their control of the vehicle and reduces their awareness of what is happening around them.”
Motorists caught holding a mobile phone to their heads while driving face fines of up to €2,000 and 4 penalty points on their license. The organisation is now running a new campaign, including a 30 second radio advertisement, encouraging people not to use their mobile phones AT ALL (including via bluetooth headsets and speakers) while driving suggesting you “switch off before you drive off” – and if you really need to make a call, pull over and switch it back on.
The full press release can be seen via the RSA web site, here – and their leaflet “Mobile Phones & Driving” can be obtained (in PDF format) here.
Just a thought though – aren’t sat navs (GPS systems) just as distracting as phones with bluetooth – or perhaps even more so, as you actually have to LOOK away from the windscreen and the road ahead to use it?
5 Comments
I hate to admit it, but, I find my GPS so distracting that I hardly ever use it anymore.
I only use it in the mazes that are Swords, Blanch and Castleknock.
And, only when I’m hopelessly lost!
Good job it was free.
Driving while balancing a phone is dangerous, no one can deny that. But banning phones alltogether will only have one logical conclusion: banning smoking, adjusting any controls (radio, heat, aircon, windows, etc…), sat-navs, game consoles and in-car conversations with the driver.
Next comes eating, scratching yourself and then blinking and sneezing (driving with your eyes closed)
At some stage you have to consider when the baby goes out with the bathwater and you fall back on what todays PC nazis have deemed dirty words: common sense and responsibilty for ones own actions.
“Motorists caught holding a mobile phone to their heads while driving”
Texting whilst driving must be as dangerous if not even more so.
I’ve an installed satnav in the car which is normally switched off. It also has voice guidance which is clear and concise as the instructions focus you on your next move/change and comes in only when necessary.
When used properly, with awareness and with caution it is a benefit. But it seems that to many people it’s just another gadget casually used, which is where the problem arises. Peeping a satnav is as dangerous as changing a cd and navigating to your favourite track as mentally you’re elsewhere, and that’s what causes the problems.
You think that’s bad try emailing while driving
When used sensibly, sat-nav is not a distraction. Voice commands mean you shouldn’t have to look at it and if placed properly its no danger. I place mine at the bottom of the windscreen just to the left of the dashboard, meaning that looking at it is no more dangerous than looking at the speedometer. I never try to adjust it while driving, thats just stupid.