Switch off before you drive off
Safer Roads Humber is urging all drivers to switch off their phones before they drive off and concentrate on the road ahead.
Mick Harris project manager for Safer Roads Humber said: “It’s important that drivers are not distracted whilst they are driving. Today’s mobile phones are more that just a way to speak to someone, they have a range of features whether it’s texting, taking photos or checking the status of our friends on the net. This wide range of applications can enhance our daily lives but these must not be used when the person is driving.”
Research shows that if a driver uses a hand-held mobile phone to take a call or text there is an increased risk of being involved in a crash.
Using a hand held mobile phone slows down the driver’s reaction time, making it considerably slower than a driver who has consumed alcohol.
It’s obvious that physically holding a phone reduces your control of the car. Listening and holding a conversation also takes effort, which should be directed to driving the car.
Even using a hands free phone, which can be legally used, slows down drivers reaction times.
Research found that whilst passengers in the car can be a distraction they tend to stop talking when the driver is approaching hazards like roundabouts and junctions and can even alert the driver to hazards through their body language.
When talking on a hands free phone, the person ringing is not aware of what the driver is trying to do and will continue to talk and this can distract the driver.
Using a phone to send or receive text messages whilst driving is a major distraction to the driver even if it is a “quick” text, as it takes the driver’s eyes off the road, their hand from the wheel and required them to think about the message rather than think about their driving.
Mick Harris, said: “It’s very tempting to call or text loved ones when you’re queuing in traffic or waiting at lights but it is illegal and it is dangerous. Anyone prosecuted using a hand-held phone while driving or waiting in traffic with the engine running can receive a £60 fine and three penalty points on their licence.
“Our message to drivers is to switch off you phone while they’re driving. If you absolutely have to make a call or send a text, pull into a lay-by to do it and switch your phone off when you’ve finished.”
