Defined as phone addiction, obsessive use of a smartphone or fear (of being) without a mobile phone.
Statistically the chances of causing injury or death whilst using your phone has hugely increased. In 2022, there were 22 deaths and 674 injured where a phone was considered a contributory factor. 4,188 injuries were recorded where there was a distraction in a vehicle and one factor could be the use of a phone.
How has the government tackled the use of mobile phones whilst driving?
- Step One – the government makes it an offence. 3 points and a fine.
- Step Two – the points are increased to 6 points (half way to a ban and your car insurance goes through the roof).
- Step Three – the law is tightened up so merely touching your phone rather than being on it is now an offence.
So how’s it going? Not well.
The RAC report that more than one in five drivers cite illegal phone use as their biggest motoring concern, and the number of drivers admitting regular use of phones whilst driving are increasing.
All age groups except for 25 to 44 have seen an increase in the number of people making or receiving illegal voice calls when driving.
What’s the solution?
Two suggestions; firstly educate the public. Let’s have more educational material. Education has to be the key. After all there are so many platforms out there.
Secondly, we need the police to be visible. They are not. Evidence? Number of prosecutions in 2011 – 31,390 and 2020 (I will leave Covid-19 year out) – 4,884.
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