Right: the parents of a young girl killed while texting in her car had this poster made up and circulated in the hope that their daughter's death would warn others.
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Arguments in favour of banning drivers from using mobile phones
1. Undivided concentration is an important factor in safe driving
It has been claimed that driving, as a complex, multifaceted task, cannot be performed safely without the driver's full attention.
A Queensland University of Technology (QUT) report released in October 2014 claimed, 'Data from naturalistic driving studies suggest that up to 22% of car crashes and near crashes and 71% of truck crashes (and 46% of near crashes) involve, as a contributing factor, distraction from non-driving related activities. The QUT study elaborated, 'Talking/listening to a hand-held device and dialling a hand-held device accounted for 7% of the total crashes and near crashes (3.6% each).
Inattention in the broader sense has been found to be a contributing factor in 78% of car crashes and 65% of near crashes. It has been estimated that 55% of all known sources of distraction are avoidable (61% of sources from within the vehicle and 31% of sources outside the vehicle).
Mobile phone use has been condemned as a particularly hazardous form of distraction. The interaction with another person who is unaware of the particular conditions pertaining for the driver means that the level of distraction can become highly diverting.
The following advice has been given by Vic Roads regarding the distraction hazards related to the use of mobile phones while driving. 'Physical distraction is caused by handling the phone while driving. For example, removing your hand from the steering wheel to dial a phone number, to answer or end a call.
Visual distraction is caused by the amount of time you have your eyes off the road. Taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds when driving at 50 km/h, means you travel for 27 metres effectively blind.
Cognitive distraction refers to lapses in attention and judgement. This happens when you have to perform two mental tasks at the same time. Having a conversation competes with the demands of driving - your attention is often changing from driving to the conversation. This results in unsafe driving and can increase the risk of a crash.'
It has been judged that talking to a passenger is less distracting than talking on a mobile phone. The Centre for Accident and Road Safety Research Queensland has stated, 'If a dangerous situation develops, the passenger can stop talking to allow the driver to concentrate. On a mobile phone, the other person is unaware of the danger and will continue talking, distracting the driver further when full concentration is required.'
In 2011 the World Health Organisation released a report titled 'Mobile Phone Use: a Growing Problem of Driver Distraction'. The report states, 'Distraction in traffic is... [a] risk and is becoming an increasing concern among policy-makers. Most research and attention in this area relates to driver distraction, largely because of drivers' increasing use of mobile phones and other technologies.'
2. Mobile phone use has been associated with increased accident rates
A variety of studies have linked mobile phone use with an increased risk of automobile accidents.
A Queensland University of Technology report released in October 2014 claimed, 'Using a mobile phone whilst driving is highly distracting and increases your risk of a crash four-fold.'
This claim was made in regard to serious road accidents resulting in hospital admission.
It has been demonstrated that text messaging while driving is especially dangerous. An Australian simulator study conducted in 2006 by the Monash University Accident Research Centre found that young novice drivers spent about four times as much time looking away from the road when texting than when not texting. This level of inattention was shown to lead to incorrect lane changes and wandering, and failure to see road signs, hazards and other road users.
Research conducted by Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents in 2001 and the Monash University Accident Research Centre in 2006 has shown that dialling, texting and talking on a mobile phone while driving can lead to riskier decision making - with attention and concentration diverted, a driver's ability to judge distances, speed, space and environmental conditions may be affected.
A widely cited 2005 Australian study reported the risk of crashing while using a hands-free mobile phone when driving is more or less equal to the risk of using a hand-held phone. This study essentially replicated earlier Canadian research, and is well-accepted by road safety researchers and policymakers. The Australian research was conducted by Suzanne P McEvoy, senior research fellow, Mark R Stevenson, professor of injury prevention and Mark Woodward, professor of biostatistics at the George Institute for International Health, University of Sydney; Anne T McCartt, vice president, research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Arlington, Virginia, USA; and Claire Haworth, research nurse, Peter Palamara, senior research officer, and Rina Cercarelli, senior research fellow at Injury the Research Centre, University of Western Australia.
The increasing use of mobile phones by young drivers has been noted as a particular cause for concern. A 2010 survey conducted by Australian Associated Motor Insurers Limited (AAMI) found that 61% of Australian drivers aged between 18 and 24 years reported that they had sent or received a text while driving (compared with 32% of drivers aged over 25 years). In addition, research conducted by Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has also demonstrated that undertaking secondary tasks while driving, such as using a mobile phone, causes greater problems for inexperienced drivers (who already have a higher crash risk).
3. The use of mobile phones by drivers is widespread
A 2011 federal government survey found that 93% of Australian drivers owned a mobile phone and, of these drivers, 59% reported using their mobile phone while driving, with 31% of drivers reading, and 14% sending text messages while driving. In addition, the study found that only 28% of drivers surveyed reported using a hands-free kit indicating that a large amount of mobile phone use while driving is conducted on hand-held mobiles.
A Queensland University of Technology survey of nearly 800 Queensland drivers found that 77% reported using their mobile phone for any purpose while driving, with approximately 40% of the sample doing so on a daily basis (either hands-free or hand-held). Overall, 25% of drivers reported using their hand-held mobile phone to answer calls on a daily basis, 20% of drivers reported doing so to make a call, 27% to read a text message and 14% to send a text message.
In 2011 the World Health Organisation released a report titled 'Mobile Phone Use: a Growing Problem of Driver Distraction'. The report states, 'Studies from a number of countries suggest that the proportion of drivers using mobile phones while driving has increased over the past 5-10 years, ranging from 1% to up to 11%.'
Australian research suggests that one in six drivers report regularly sending text messages while driving. The proportion of drivers using text messaging while driving appears to be higher among young and/or inexperienced drivers. Australian data suggests that 58% of drivers aged 17-29 years regularly read text messages while driving, and 37% sent text messages.
4. Current control measures are not working
Laws prohibiting the use of hands held mobile phone devices have been consistently ignored by drivers.
Twelve years ago, in July 2003, the Victorian Transport Minister, Peter Batchelor and senior police complained that drivers were flouting the laws that prohibited motorists using a hand-held mobile phone while driving. In six months from January 2003 to July 2003 8757 Victorian -motorists lost demerit points for breaking this rule.
A growth trend was evident. Police figures showed that 30,154 fines were issued to Victorian motorists in 2002 for using a mobile phone. In 2001, 17,994 fines were issued.
That non-compliance with the law remains an issue Australia-wide was indicated by a decision taken by all Australian state and territory road safety ministers in 2011. The National Road Safety Strategy 2011-2020, which the ministers drafted, aims to eliminate illegal mobile phone use by drivers by 2020.
Similar non-compliance with existing laws has been demonstrated in other jurisdictions.
In a report published on myFOXdc.com on March 24, 2015, it was stated, 'Drivers know that using handheld cell phones and texting while driving is dangerous, but many still do it. Maryland, D.C. and Virginia all ban texting behind the wheel. Drivers caught face fines, but the practice continues.'
John Townsend, with AAA Mid-Atlantic, stated with regard to the United States situation, 'What you will have to have will be tougher laws, tougher enforcement and tougher penalties.'
In Britain a similar pattern of non-compliance with existing laws has been noted. Some 1.6 per cent of Britain's estimated 36million drivers were spotted using a handheld phone while at the wheel in 2014 - up on 1.4 per cent for a similar exercise carried out five years earlier in 2009.
British road safety authorities have also called for stricter prohibitions on the use of mobile phones by drivers. The British Transport Minister, Robert Goodwill, has stated, 'No phone-call is worth risking an accident. That is why in 2013 we increased the penalty for people using a mobile phone at the wheel...We will keep further deterrent measures under consideration.'
5. A total ban on mobile phones would have a powerful educative effect
It has been claimed that prohibiting the use of any form of mobile phone device would send a powerful message to all drivers regarding the hazards associated with mobile phone use while driving.
Such a law would remove confusion over what is and is not allowable inside a vehicle in terms of mobile phone use. It should put an end to the continuing use of hand-held devices by some drivers.
Some critics of such a prohibitive response have claimed that it would be merely 'symbolic' as it could never be completely enforced. Supporters of such a measure claim that its symbolic effect would be among its great strengths as it would strong educative effect, demonstrating to all drivers that law enforcement agencies and road safety authorities do not condone the use of mobile phones in cars.
In an article published in The Conversation on November 22, 2013, Ian J. Faulks, Honorary Associate in Psychology at Macquarie University and Julia Irwin, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Director of Undergraduate Studies in Psychology at Macquarie University stated, 'The ban would...send a clear message to drivers that "driving is for driving" - not for chatting, organising social events, holding business meetings, texting, reading, or any of the diverse in-vehicle activities that can divert attention and affect safe driving.'
The authors further stated, 'Such a ban could be accompanied by an educational campaign spanning schools, driver training, public advertising, and traffic offender management.
We need to make it clear that if you wish to make or take a call when driving, pull over and stop. And for a simpler, easier tip: put the phone in the boot of the vehicle until you reach your destination.'