A new THINK! campaign to highlight the dangers of using a mobile phone when driving was launched today by Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick. The £1.5m campaign, featuring a new radio advert as well as the hard-hitting television advert launched last year, will remind drivers to switch off before getting behind the wheel. It is timed to coincide with the first anniversary of the introduction of tougher penalties for using a mobile phone when driving.
Jim Fitzpatrick said:
"Talking on a mobile phone when driving is distracting and affects your ability to react to dangerous situations, making you four times more likely to have a crash.
"That is why we increased the penalty for illegally using a mobile when driving to three penalty points and a £60 fine. Our latest research shows the message is getting through to drivers but some people are still needlessly risking their own lives and putting others in danger for the sake of a phone call. I urge all drivers to switch off or go to voicemail before they drive off."
Surrey resident Jon Spencer-Smith, who received a 30-day ban after receiving penalty points from using his mobile while driving, said:
"It was enough to take me over the points limit as and as a result I had a 30-day driving ban. It made a real impact on my life; I rely on my car for my work and use it to take my parents to hospital appointments, so a ban meant that I was not able to do all the things I wanted, when I wanted. This new campaign urging drivers to switch off before they drive off will remind people about the consequences of using mobile phones and the affect it has on one's everyday life".
Dr Nick Reed, Senior Human Factors Researcher at the Berkshire-based TRL (Transport Research Laboratory), summarised research examining motorists' behaviour using their driving simulator:
"Our research demonstrated that drivers show a significant impairment when making mobile phone calls whilst driving. In some aspects of driving behaviour, speaking on a mobile phone is worse than being at the legal alcohol limit.
"Our results match those of other studies which have shown that drivers have less control of their vehicle and show reduced awareness of their surroundings when making mobile phone calls."
Other research by TRL showed a 40% reduction in the number of car drivers seen using hand-held mobiles at the wheel between September 2006 and August 2007. Just 1% of car drivers were observed using a hand-held mobile while driving, compared with 1.7% in 2006.
