AA spot check on phone use while driving

Drivers getting the message but not while driving

The tough new penalties for phone use while driving brought in at the start of this month has not cured some drivers of the habit according to the AA. This is according to a simple spot check carried out by AA Motor Insurance last Thursday three weeks on from the introduction of the new rules.

The new legislation means drivers can never send a text or an email or look up the internet even if the phone is in a hands-free cradle. Those caught breaking that law will have to go to court where they could be fined up to €1,000 for a first offence and €2,000 for a second offence. They may also (theoretically) receive up to 3 months in jail.

“It is permissible to answer a call on a hands-free phone. Some people seem to think that the new law makes it an offence even to press the ‘receive’ button but this is not true. It is still not specifically illegal to answer the phone. Even so it is a bad habit and one that people should avoid.” Conor Faughnan, Director of Consumer Affairs, AA Ireland.

During the AA’s mini field study on phone use while driving, traffic was observed for a one hour period at the junction between St. Stephen’s Green and Dawson street in Dublin’s city. The area was deliberately chosen given the high pedestrian footfall, large numbers of professional drivers and road layout which lends itself to slow moving, stop-start traffic.  

563 vehicles were logged in total. Of these just 7 drivers were observed holding a mobile phone up to their ear equating to slightly over 1%. A similar number, 6 drivers were observed speaking on a hands free device. Giving into temptation, 4 drivers, 3 of them young females were observed either texting or accessing information on their smartphones while they were first in the queue at a red light.

“When you’re in stop-start traffic it’s very tempting to grab your phone and see what text came in while you were driving. Be warned though, it’s still an offence and you could find yourself with a €1,000 fine. It’s just not worth it. It’s also of course hugely frustrating for other drivers if you’re slow to move when the light turns green. ”   Says Faughnan.

The most dangerous incident observed by the motor insurance providers during the 60 minute  phone use while driving study was a young female motorists holding her phone against her steering wheel to use both hands to text while driving around the bend on to Dawson Street.

“This is utterly lethal carry on under any circumstance let alone at a central location where jaywalking is very common. We really hope that as fines are imposed and publicised thereafter that even the laggards like this driver get the message and cop on to themselves.” Says Faughnan. “Over the past decade phone usage has played an increasingly role in the insurance claims we receive. We sincerely hope to see this trend start to reverse this year.”

Interestingly the AA shares that none of the infractions observed were carried out by bus or taxi drivers. This is despite the high incidence of both given the number of tour groups that pass along the route and the presence of a taxi rank on the green.

It is not just drivers. The AA says it observed a large number of pedestrians glued to their phones while crossing the road. At one point it says a bus was forced to hit the brakes to avoid knocking down a jaywalker absorbed by his Smartphone.                                                                                              

Ends

Notes to the editor;

Fig. 1 Results of AA Mobile phone usage field study. Conducted by M. O’ Neill on 22/05/14 between 11.45am and 12.45 at the bend where St. Stephen’s Green meets Dawson Street, Dublin 2.

 General observations:

• None of those seen holding a phone or texting were taxi or bus drivers. 
• 1 pedestrian was observed stepping out in front of a bus while looking at his Smart phone.
• One near miss between vehicles was observed during the 1 hour period.  The incident involved a car cutting in front of a bus.  Neither parties were using a mobile phone.
• Two drivers were observed holding a cigarette while driving.