Mobile phones have become an integral part of modern living. Instant communication by voice or through texting is taken for granted by practically everyone these days. This makes it that much more difficult to achieve the crucial cultural shift towards accepting the dangers of using mobile phones when driving.
The recent decision by national traffic management authorities to double the fines for using a phone while driving has brought the growing problem of driving distractions to the forefront. When official government transport figures reveal that around 2,000 motorists are pulled over every month for calling or texting from behind the wheel, no doubt is left that this is a growing problem that needs to be addressed.
The World Health Organisation is taking this problem very seriously. It says: “Distracted driving is a serious and growing threat to road safety. With more and more people owning mobile phones, and the rapid introduction of new ‘in vehicle’ communication systems, this problem is likely to escalate globally in the coming years.” A national strategy to manage this risk cannot be based solely on increasing fines for those who use their mobile phones while driving.
The first step that needs to be taken is to gather reliable information on driving distractions in general and the use of mobile phones while driving in particular. It is estimated, for instance, that in some countries up to 11 per cent of drivers are using their mobile phone at any one moment. But in many countries, possibly including Malta, the extent of the problem is unknown. This does not help to mitigate the risk.
International studies confirm that drivers using a mobile phone are approximately four times more likely to be involved in a crash than when a driver does not use a phone. In Malta’s case, more work is needed to improve “the systematic collection of mobile phone use in crash data to assess the extent and distribution of the problem”. Only with such data can prevention efforts be targeted effectively.
Legislation and enforcement is the next step in defining a safer roads strategy. It is worrying to know that in 2011 “a legal notice setting steeper penalties was issued, yet it was not being enacted”, according to traffic consultant Pierre Vella.
Another important aspect that needs to be looked into is whether legislation is indeed reducing the levels of abuse of mobile phones by motorists and, more important, whether sanctions are reducing road traffic injuries and fatalities.
Other preventive measures could include convincing employers to make it mandatory for their employees to refrain from using their mobile phone while driving their workvehicles. In many countries road traffic accidents are a leading cause of occupational fatalities many of which are caused by improper use of mobile phones while driving.
Increasing public awareness will always be the most effective strategy to reduce traffic accidents. This strategy has proven very effective when road safety authorities introduced media campaigns in favour of the use of seat belts and against drink-driving.
Campaigns are needed to increase awareness among the public that all use of mobile phones while driving is unacceptable. So is the use of mobile phones by pedestrians while crossing a busy road.
A shift in societal perceptions about what behaviour is ‘acceptable’ when driving needs to be achieved through effective legislation, creative enforcement, and education – for young and old.