Safe Speed Forums

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4405482.stm
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Many drivers 'still use mobiles'

Almost a quarter of drivers still use hand-held mobile phones to make quick calls while driving, a survey reveals.

And 8.6% of motorists admitted using a mobile regularly when driving, the whatcar.com survey found.

The survey questioned 1,000 motorists and seemed to contradict Department for Transport figures from April suggesting just 1.5% of drivers still use mobiles.

What Car? group editor Steve Fowler said it was clear mobile use is "more widespread" than the government thinks.

The latest survey also suggested that a further 8.8% of motorists admitted using hand-held mobiles but intended to stop doing so.

But 58.6% claimed they no longer offended in this way.

Responding to the findings, road safety minister Stephen Ladyman said: "I'm pleased that the results still show that drivers who think it's acceptable to use their phones without stopping are in the minority.

"We stand by our survey work as an objective way to monitor use.

"We'll also be monitoring annual prosecution figures."

But Mr Fowler said the findings pointed to dangerous practices on the nation's roads.

"It doesn't matter if you're only making a quick call - hand-held phones are dangerously distracting," he said.

Hands-free kits

"We'd like to see a hands-free kit provided with every new phone sold by law, and more traffic police on the roads to enforce mobile phone laws, which will eventually put penalty points on licences."

Concerns were also voiced by Mary Williams, chief executive of road safety charity Brake.

She said: "It is appalling that so many drivers put lives at risk by driving while using their mobile phones.

"Driving is the most dangerous thing that most of us do on a daily basis, and it requires our full attention."
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Would it be rude of us to say that we told 'em so? As predicted the ban on using hand held mobiles (a) hasn't actually stopped people from doing so, and in fact may be far less effective than the government thought, and (b) seems to be encouraging car kit use rather than discouraging phone use. Not that I would say don't get a car kit, since if people are going to make calls in the car it's better to have a car kit than not IMO - I have one and at least know that I can take the occasional brief call without too much distraction, but I do emphasize occasional and brief. There does seem to be some thinking along the lines of "oh, I'll just get a car kit, that's alright then", which isn't the idea at all.

And incidentally, I don't know about anyone else but if the DfT thought that only 1.5% of drivers still use hand helds all I can say is that they can't have checked the roads where I live. IMO a quarter-ish sounds about right from what I see on the roads.

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Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler - Einstein

I'm pretty sure that the DfT surveys are observation at static sites - meaning that 1.5% of drivers are on a hand held mobile at any one time.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

I'd even say that is determined by the location of the static site and the time of the survey.

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Former Military Police Officer and accident investigator

I wonder how many NEW 'accidents' are generated by these tw4t$ that stop ANYWHERE, and I mean anywhere to answer their phone & have long, interesting conversations? From being hit from behind, to causing collisions by forcing other drivers to go round them.

I honestly can't think of ANY phonecall that can't go to voicemail and wait 5 mins. I've seen (school run type women) parked on a dual carriageway in f'ing rush hour having a natter forcing everybody round them or, in traffic light filter lanes holding up queues. "Oh, I can't drive and use the phone - you wouldn't want me to break the law...." PUT THE PHONE DOWN YOU ****S!! (* insert expletive of choice)

That seems likely. But looking at it another way, doesn't it follow that if 1.5% of drivers are using a hand held at any one time then 1.5% of all vehicle miles are driven with the driver on the dog? ing hell, that's about 4.5 billion miles. Is it just me or does that say "abject failure" to anyone else?

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Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler - Einstein

well it's not just drivers... how many people do you hear screaming into their phones on trains and busses?
<rant>
"hi love I'm on the train I'll be home in 10 minutes". YOU GET HOME AT THE SAME F*CKING TIME EVERY DAY WHY DO YOU HAVE TO CALL AND TELL HER? Why does s/he need 10 minutes warning anyway? I'd really love to just go and slap some of these idiots.
</rant>

Time to get his/her kit off?

Or to avoid that awkward moment of walking in on the 'significant other' on the job.

In the past two or three years I seem to have seen a lot more vehicles parked on motorway hard shoulders - I'd like to bet a lot of them are on the phone. I have certainly seen abrupt swerves on to the hard shoulder that give the impression the phone is being answered.


Indeed. The message needs to be "don't use the phone at all when driving" (apart perhaps from very brief calls on a hands-free at appropriate times).

I thought the suggestion that all new phones should be sold with a hands-free kit was quite irresponsible, in fact.

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

Not to mention pedestrians crossing the road

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

I have a very simple system... I leave my phone turned on, but put it in the boot. It records the numbers of any "missed calls" and I can simply ring them back when I next stop.

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"Politicians are the same the world over... We build bridges where there aren't any rivers." - Nikita Kruschev

I think the glove box on 'vibrate' is a better place - that way it's still readily available in case of an emergency.

When I see a car being driven erratically ~50% of the time the driver is on the phone. It seems to me that this is a bigger issue than the authorities think. I think I'm right in saying the effect of driving while speaking on a phone is similar to being just over the drink limit.

i saw a driver today holding a phone in his right hand to his left year, left hand on the wheel, obviously due to the open window he could not hear what a way todrive a van

Did you take pictures? :p

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Andrew.

Don't forget, if he wasn't speeding, he was a safe driver

Using a phone to take a call - fair enough its wrong. But, however, you cannot beat the attractive young lady I saw driving across M4 J16 this morning whilst she was clearly writing a text message!

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"Are you sh**ing me?"
"John Spartan, you are fined one credit for a violation of the verbal morality statute."

I haven't noticed a drop in the number of phone users, in fact I seem to see more of them. The problem is caused by a) the piffling penalty, and b) the miniscule chance of getting caught.
The solution- a) more TrafPol, and b) serious treatment in court- major fine, and a disqual.
One police officer I know ALWAYS does them for careless driving, not the lesser offence of phone usage. Good man.