Texting: It's the new road menace
24 December 2003
By MICHELLE QUIRKE
Text messaging at the wheel is a new menace on New Zealand roads, says the author of a study in which more than half the drivers admitted to using a cellphone while driving.
Massey University lecturer Mark Sullman said the study of 861 drivers' habits found young inexperienced drivers with a taste for high speeds, new cars and powerful engines were among the most likely to make and take calls on the road.
The people who used their cellphones the most were also those who were more likely to have an accident anyway. "It's a recipe for disaster."
Two per cent of drivers said using a mobile phone while driving was not a safety risk, yet overseas research showed drivers were up to nine times more likely to crash, Dr Sullman said.
Though his study focused on mobile phone calls, text messaging was increasingly common and more dangerous as it required more dexterity and concentration, he said.
Automobile Association director of public affairs George Fairbairn said it was also concerned about the trend.
The association supports a proposal for a ban on using hand-held cellphones while driving.
A similar ban is in force in Britain, where motorists face instant fines of E30 (NZ$81) or up to E1000 in court, but hands-free phone kits are exempt.
In Australia, more than 12,710 drivers have been fined since penalties on mobile phone use while driving were introduced last July. Despite the prospect of A$220 (NZ$251) fines and demerit points, a recent Australian survey found a third of motorists admitted talking on a mobile while driving, while one in six had taken their eyes off the road to send or read messages.
Dr Sullman said holding the phone was not the problem. "The real risk factor is the mental workload caused by having a conversation on the phone, decreased control and decreased concentration . . . actually the mental workload caused by hands-free kits is higher than a hand-held phone because the sound quality is not so good. Banning hand-held phones is not the answer. The answer is not using your phone while driving."
I have to agree with this - fucken drivers who have their heads down texting away - pisses me off. What is soooo bloody important that it needs to be answered on the move.
There have actually been cases in the States where the insurance assessor/police have asked for the phone records to PROVE the driver was using a phone at the time of the accident and no hands free kit was installed.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by duckman
Bookmarks