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Being ‘connected’ turns into a growing hazard
The new age of “24-7” connectedness appears to be having an impact on Australia’s road toll. An increasing number of drivers are admitting to using mobile phones while driving—and a growing number are even texting messages while steering their cars.
Whether or not it is the use of mobiles that is causing “inattention and a lack of concentration” among drivers is not certain—but other members of the driving public say they notice that inattentiveness is becoming a problem.
The report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau shows that more than a third of drivers blame “inattention and a lack of concentration” as a major contributing factor to crashes on Australian roads.
Although “speed” and “drink driving” are still given top billing as the perceived prime reason for crashes, the bureau’s latest survey has found “inattention” is gaining in perceived relevance.
The same study also shows that one of the main causes of driver inattention—driving when using a mobile phone—is also on the increase.
The study found that some 88% of drivers had mobile phones and 55% said they used them while driving. The number of drivers who said they never used mobile phones while driving dropped from 40% in 2005 to 36% in 2006. At the same time there was a jump in the number of drivers who read and composed text messages while driving. One in five drivers—21%—said they read text messages while driving (up from 16% in 2005) while 13% said they texted messages while driving (up from 8% in 2005).
According to the survey, mobile phones usage varied from State to State with South Australia significantly lower (42%) compared to the national average (55%). The opposite was true in NSW, where use of mobile phones while driving increased from 44% to 60%. WA was just below the national average with 54% saying they used mobiles while driving.
The Australian Transport Council has recognized that “inattentiveness” is causing problems and that mobile phones are one of the causes. Its National Road Safety Action Plan 2007”2008 includes recommendations to the States that more be done to enforce existing laws banning the use of hand-held mobiles and that other mobile phone systems be discouraged too. (Research has shown hand-free systems can be just as distracting to drivers as hand-held mobiles.)
The ATC is pressing States to ban mobile use by drivers in government cars as a lead to industry. (As of January 1 2007, WA increased the penalty for using a hand-held mobile while driving from 1 to 3 demerit points.)
It should be noted that Australia’s mobile phone content providers—the companies selling games, film clips and internet services to phone users—are expecting 2007 to be a boom year for their growing industry. Latest figures show that 30% of road crash deaths involve 17 to 23 year olds—the main target group for mobile phone entertainment.
The scan also showed:
Combating low-speed crashes
Over the next two year’s Sweden’s Volvo Car Company is to introduce a new “optical radar” system to help drivers avoid low-speed collisions. The system, known as “City Safe”, is particularly designed for urban traffic and slow-moving traffic queues. In fact it only works at speeds of up to 30km/h. But according to Volvo, it is at 30km/h and below that 75% of collisions occur. New “City Safe” cars will have the optical system installed into the upper section of the windscreen where it will monitors vehicles up to 6 metres in front. Based on the distance to the vehicle in front and the car’s own speed, the system runs a calculation 50 times a second to determine if the brakes are needed to avoid a collision. If a collision is likely, “City Safe” applies the brakes. Volvo says the system works best if the two vehicles are both traveling at below 15km/h. But even if the automatic system does not stop a crash, Volvo believes it will reduce whiplash injuries.
Looking behind
Cameras are clearly set to become an integral part of the modern road vehicle. Besides Volvo’s “optical radar” (see previous story), Mitsubishi Electric Australia has just started to market a new “Car Vision” system designed to give drivers a better view of what is happening behind them. The system was originally designed for large industrial vehicles like garbage truck and street sweepers to give drivers a better view when reversing. Mitsubishi is now marketing the system for larger private vehicles like four-wheel drives. “It allows drivers to view the blind spot, even in low light conditions, and prevents many unnecessary accidents,” says the company’s general manager, Paul Prudhoe.
Underage drinking
Although it is illegal in Britain to drink under the age of 18, the UK government has designed its new safety campaign to encourage responsible drinking to have an appeal to the “illegal” age group. The real target audience is the 18 to 24 year olds, but the government admits it is hoping the 16 and 17 year olds will tune in as well. According to a media statement, the hope is that by appealing to a slightly younger age group, the advertisements will influence the future drinking habits of the young teens. The advertising message is: “Alcohol makes you feel invincible when you are most vulnerable.” To tell the story the ads use young people who turn into “superheroes” when they are drunk. In one advertisement a “superhero” tries running through busy traffic—with disastrous results. That part of the safety campaign was prompted by figures showing that 80% of UK pedestrian deaths on Friday and Saturday nights are drink related. The ads can be viewed at the Know Your Limits website
Car locks
A US community group, “Mothers Against Drunk Driving” is urging all American states to introduce new legislation requiring motorists caught breaching drink-driving laws to have their cars fitted with alcohol detection locks. “If we can’t stop drunks from driving, we’ll stop vehicles from driving drunks,” says group president Glynn Birch. The idea is reported to have the support of the US Department of Transportation.
Choices
Motorists caught speeding on rural roads in Hampshire, England are now being given the option of a fixed penalty fine—or their attendance at a local “safe driving” event. If they choose the event, they are shown a film on the consequences of driving too fast, and are given “practical advice” on how to drive more safely.
Morning pollution
Traffic pollution is likely to be more toxic during the morning rush hour than at any other time of the day, according to researchers at Manchester University’s Centre for Atmospheric Studies. Test conducted along Manchester’s busiest streets showed that it was not until midday that “warm bubbles of air” rose from the city streets and carried the fumes away. The research is part of a yet to be completed Europe-wide study.
