Mobile phones overtake drink driving

[steveindenmark]

Reported in the Danish newspapers this week.

In Denmark there are now more accidents caused by people using mobile phones than there are accidents caused by drink drivers.

My first thought is if they can prove that is the case, then they should make the penalty the same as drink driving.

 

[Illaveago]

The trouble is that some of the accidents may get put into the wrong categories. I have often seen pedestrians walking straight across roads without looking because they were too busy on their phones. But there people who drive and text at the same time. Perhaps there should be an offence of using a phone with undue care and attention.

 

[Levo-Lon]

I think it should be a harsher for social media txting ..driving while typing and reading!!!..

 

[tyred]

But it's essential to keep up to date with social media. How else am I to know if my friends are watching Coronation Street, having Cornflakes for breakfast or standing in a queue in the post office?

Sent from my BMW 530 in the fast lane of the M2

 

[Tim Hall]

But it's essential to keep up to date with social media. How else am I to know if my friends are watching Coronation Street, having Cornflakes for breakfast or standing in a queue in the post office?

Sent from my BMW 530 in the fast lane of the M2

I shot three drivers yesterday who were texting/tapping at their smart phone screens while driving on the M25 yesterday.

In the interests of accuracy the word "shot" should be replaced with "tutted at and shook my head resignedly at".

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

It's a problem, too, in North London. Given that many cars have Bluetooth connectivity these days, I don't understand why people resist the hands free option.

It is understood by "professionals" that even hands free is dangerous. The conversation is the problem. Currently the law allows hands free but it should be amended.

 

[ColinJ]

It is understood by "professionals" that even hands free is dangerous. The conversation is the problem. Currently the law allows hands free but it should be amended.

My sister drove straight past her exit on the M1 when talking to me 'hands-free'. She has been doing that commute for about 20 years so she knows her way about the motorway. She was not touching the phone but it still distracted her!

 

[jefmcg]

In Denmark there are now more accidents caused by people using mobile phones than there are accidents caused by drink drivers.

And that's where it's proven. If someone has been drinking, and they are breathalysed, then that's recorded. Mobile phone usage often be covered up, and even a forensic examination won't necessarily uncover it, so the number of accidents caused by phone usage is probably higher than estimated

(eg when a friend was knocked off her bike, the driver was breathalysed so drinking would have been recorded. They would not have recorded mobile phone usage unless he admitted to it)

 

[Markymark]

But it's essential to keep up to date with social media. How else am I to know if my friends are watching Coronation Street, having Cornflakes for breakfast or standing in a queue in the post office?

Sent from my BMW 530 in the fast lane of the M2

I agree. In fact I'd go further. The facebooks posts I read when driving where everyone says "ooh it's snowing" means I'll drop below 100. Safety first and all that.

 

[Vidor06]

I was out walking my dog last week and there was a PSNI vehicle check point. They had stopped one car which had caused a queue of 6/7 cars to build up behind it while they spoke to the driver. The driver of the car 4th in line was on his phone as I passed him. Also recently on the bus on the way into Belfast city centre I looked down at the cars beside me and a lady was driving a mini while operating a phone in each hand.
Given the increase in dissident republican activity in Northern Ireland recently the police will tell you that they simply dont have the resources to catch drivers using their phones.

 

[tyred]

I was out walking my dog last week and there was a PSNI vehicle check point. They had stopped one car which had caused a queue of 6/7 cars to build up behind it while they spoke to the driver. The driver of the car 4th in line was on his phone as I passed him. Also recently on the bus on the way into Belfast city centre I looked down at the cars beside me and a lady was driving a mini while operating a phone in each hand.
Given the increase in dissident republican activity in Northern Ireland recently the police will tell you that they simply dont have the resources to catch drivers using their phones.

Last summer in Derry, I saw two police standing on the pavement watching whilst a van driver jumped a red light at a pedestrian crossing (with pedestrians using it) and then drive the wrong way down a one way street and park blocking the pavement and they just walked on as if nothing had happened.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

They should set up a web site where these people can be reported.

That way, if you're driving along and spot a text pest, you can take a picture of them with your phone, and send it straight to the reporting website without having to break your journey.