Are Hands-Free Devices a Danger for Young Drivers?
Academics call for tougher restrictions to reduce risks on the road
Should drivers be further restricted in how they use their phones on the road? Image: Adam Marsters
There have been renewed calls for tougher restrictions on the use of hands-free devices in cars, particularly when being used by younger drivers.
It is speculated that the NSW state government is so concerned about the risks of hands-free mobile phone use in cars that it is “considering options” to address the distraction posed by such devices.
Australian National University associate professor of psychology Kristen Pammer, an expert in the study of attention related issues, has called for a complete ban on the use of mobile phones in cars.
Dr. Pammer has received further support from other academics including Macquarie University’s honorary associate in psychology, Ian Faulks. A leading road safety expert, Faulks believes that the risk of crashing while using a hands-free device is equal to the risk presented when talking on a hand-held phone.
Julia Irwin, a senior lecturer in psychology at Macquarie University, shared the same view in believing that the best approach would be to ignore the phone altogether.
Dr. Irwin said that the use of a mobile phone creates a “tunnelling effect…where the driver just concentrates on what’s on the road and head and not what is happening on the periphery where a motorcyclist, cyclist or pedestrian might be.”
P1 licence holders in NSW already face a complete ban on any mobile phone use in the car.
Transport for NSW have confirmed that they are “looking at the evidence and considering options to address the distraction risks for P2 licence holders, as well as young drivers and riders more generally.”
The Roads and Maritime Services state that there are no reliable statistics on the number of accidents resulting from mobile phone usage, however they do concede that their involvement is “severely under-reported.”
Are Hands-Free Devices a Danger for Young Drivers?
Do we need tougher restrictions on the use of mobile phones on the road?
Are Hands-Free Devices a Danger for Young Drivers?
Do we need tougher restrictions on the use of mobile phones on the road?