National Mobile Phone Operation – 24th and 25th April 2014 &
Follow up for Easter Bank Holiday weekend
Key Points
• Nearly 10,000 drivers detected holding a mobile phone whilst driving this year
A moment’s distraction can lead to a lifetime of consequences
A targeted Mobile Phone Enforcement Operation will take place on Thursday 24th and Friday 25th April 2014.
The aim of the operation is to:
1. make drivers aware of the dangers of using a mobile phone
2. detect offending motorists.
Intercepting such distracted drivers will modify driver behaviour, thus making the roads safer for all road users.
In 2013, there were over 28,000 people detected holding a mobile phone whilst driving, the second highest offence detected nationally. This display of bad driver behaviour requires continued and prolonged attention. Provisional figures from a previous national mobile phone operation held on the 27th March 2014 yielded a 300% increase in detections above the average daily detection rate. It is apparent that holding a mobile phone whilst driving remains a significant issue.
Assistant Commissioner John Twomey, Garda National Traffic Bureau said:
"We all know how distracting mobile phones can be in any situation, , except in the car it can have fatal consequences. Driving requires 100% concentration - it’s as simple as that. In the first three months of the year nearly 10,000 drivers have been detected holding a mobile phone whilst driving. This is not acceptable or conducive to road safety. The choice is yours. To avoid penalty points, a fine or worse, be involved in a road traffic collision, always put the phone away when driving.”
Effects of mobile phone use on driving performance
There is a four-fold increase in the risk of having a road collision when using a mobile phone. What makes a mobile phone so dangerous when used in a vehicle?
Use of mobile phones while driving – Effects on Road Safety
Mobile phones distract driver in several ways:
1. Physically: instead of focusing on the physical tasks required by driving (e.g. steering, gear changing), drivers have to use one or both of their hands to manipulate the phone.
2. Visually: mobile phones could visually distract drivers in two ways:
− Firstly, drivers have to move their eyes from the road and focus on the mobile phone in order to be able to use it.
− Secondly, while talking on a mobile phone, even if drivers’ eyes are focused on the road, they 'look but do not see'.
3. Auditory: the focus of drivers' attention moves from the road environment to the sounds of the mobile phone and the conversation. This particularly applies when the sound quality is poor.
4. Cognitively: instead of focusing their attention and thoughts on driving, drivers divert their attention and focus on the topic of the phone conversation (Dragutinovic & Twisk, 2005)
A successful campaign for An Garda Síochána over the two days will be to fail to detect any driver using a phone despite our enforcement.
You as a responsible driver need to make the decision not to use the phone.
Gardai will focus on the enforcement of relevant legislation over the period in question. Making that call/ holding that phone will result in 2 penalty points and a 60 euro fine payable with 28 days. (Increasing to 4 penalty pointy 90 euro if paid with 28-56 days)
Follow up for Easter Bank Holiday weekend
• 153 drivers arrested on suspicion of drink driving over Easter Weekend
Commenting on the Easter Bank Holiday weekend Assistant Commissioner Twomey said:-
"Tragically we did not have as safe a weekend on our roads we would have liked. No matter what the circumstances, 2 people lost their life on our roads over the Easter Bank Holiday period. Although the vast majority of road users act responsibly, to some the message is still not getting through. We made very public the fact there would be significant enforcement activity over the Easter period, especially for drink driving- yet 153 people were arrested on suspicion of drink driving from Good Friday to Easter Monday. These are selfish acts by irresponsible people, and we will continue to target those who put themselves and others at risk”.
Notes:
Mobile Phone Operation
The offence is committed by a driver when "holding a mobile phone while driving”. This can be in the hand or supporting or cradling it with another part of the body, i.e. between the neck and shoulder. It is not a requisite that a person is actually engaged in a conversation. Similarly a person texting, or accessing the internet/ emails etc, is committing an offence if "holding” the device as outlined above.
Please note the above operation will focus on existing legislation
New Regulations in respect of mobile phones and driving come into operation on 1 May 2014.
The Regulations make it an offence to send or read a text (including SMS, MMS or email) from a mobile phone while driving a mechanically propelled vehicle in a public place.
Sending or Reading a text but does not include anything done without touching the mobile phone or through voice activation.
The offence is punishable on conviction with a fine of up to €1000 (first offence).
Collision Risk
Mobile phone use while driving could therefore negatively affect driving performance.
The results of epidemiological studies strongly suggest that using a mobile phone whilst driving can increase the risk of being involved in a road collision up to four times.
Probably the most famous and most frequently cited epidemiological study about the risks of mobile phone use while driving is the study of Redelmeier and Tibshirani (Redelemeir &Tibshirani, 1997).
The researchers found that the risk of a collision when using a mobile phone was four times higher than the risk when a mobile telephone was not being used. The results of the study also suggested that hands-free phones offered no safety advantage over handheld units. Similar findings were achieved in other studies (Laberge- Nadau, et al., 2003), (McEvoy, et al., 2005),
