Using a Mobile Phone Is Worth Three Points

But look at the 2003 NSW RTA Road Crash stats.

Table 12 lists Factors Contributing to a crash.

Degree of Crash
Units in Numbers
Fatal/Injury/Non-Injury/Total

Tyres: 4/91/204/299
Using Handheld Phone: 0/7/16/23
Distraction In Vehicle (Not Phone): 0/261/463/724 (let's take licences off all smokers and anyone who eats/drinks!)

So, the amount of crashes caused by faulty tyres (you have to assume a lot of those were due to things like underinflation, excessive wear, overloading and so on) and resulting in injury was 13 times that of using a phone. And an amazingly similar 12.75 times for non-injury crashes. In the case of deaths the difference is infinite because of course not one single person was killed due to using their phone but 7 dies due to probably never looking at their tyres.

How many people get demerit points for bald tyres running on steel or canvas?

Why the hysteria over people using phones in cars? Where's the real story on why this has become such a major source of punitive punishment?

(source; NSW RTA Road Crash Stats 2003)

[XplosiveR6]

well there may not have been many phone related crashes, but people driving while on the phone **** me off, they miss breaks in the traffic when turning, swerve over to the other lane, i have had people behind me brake very late while on the phone. as alot of them are simpley are not concerntrating enough on the road, i am surprised there hasent been more phone related crashes

[JC]

EF_Dave - I agree. I have had the same sort of things happen, and it's always you that has to take corrective action, as the other party is too busy....on the phone! Also had one woman applying makeup up on a 3 lane carriageway at 80km/h - she was swerving between the inside two lanes, so I got around her as quick as I could.

AP - I know where you are coming from, and while I sometimes use the phone without a handsfree kit, I am probably more qualified than some to do this as I have a third hand. Sorry, no, that's not it, I am a smoker and am used to this habit distracting me while I am driving. :

I reckon I could come up with a list of 6 things that are more dangersou than speeding, or driving while using the phone, but waht's the point? If it's to hard to "police", the government won't enforce it. Speeding is easy to measure (radar/laser/speed camera), talking on a phone is easy to catch (it's pretty obvious you are holding something to your ear), but things like picking bald tyres on a moving car are not so easy. Either is picking someone who is just plainly incompetant (you know, those that give way to the right until the sun comes up, those that merge on to a 100km/h road, but they try doing it at 60 km/h, those that sit in the RH lane on 90km/h+ roads and killany chance of traffic flow, etc). If it's too hard for the cops to do, they know they're not goin to make much money out of it, so they pick on the things that are easy to enforce. Why do you think we now have mobile vehicle inspections - it's because the cops wouldn't know a bald tyre from a slick! (apologies to all coppers on this forum - being a member of the forum probably means you do know a thing or two about cars, but most coppers don't. I still remember the Vic copper who looked at a s/c car at last year's FPV day and commented on the fact that the car was turbo'd).

What was my point? Dunno. Good night.

[Mike Gayner]

I hate cell phone users in cars, it ****es me off and as far as I'm concerned they deserve the punishment and then some. Why should we have to wait for the crashes, injuries and fatalities to skyrocket before we do something about it? Isn't that a bit like putting the ambulance at the bottom of the hill?

[Yaw]

I don't believe its using a phone as in talking on it, its the people that try to sms whilst driving.

[bindi]

Originally Posted by Yaw

I don't believe its using a phone as in talking on it, its the people that try to sms whilst driving.

Well I have stopped the talking habit completely while driving cos although I had a hands free earphone thingy, I still find it distracting.

I made up my mind the last time I did it cos I realised that I had no real recollection of driving from the point where I answered the phone to where I hung up. It was then that I decided from that point on, wherever practicable I shall pull over.

I also just bought a phone with a loudspeaker. I have no problems talking to my kids/hubby/passengers in the car, so I am going to try the phone with the loudspeaker next time to see if that's any better.

SMSing while driving is atrociously distracting. I just don't do it anymore, plain and simple.

I'm on the road to drive.

[Stav]

I think skimpily dressed women are just as dangerous.I got hit by 2 semi trailers cause of a woman with tight shorts.I did not even get a chance to see after all that.

People should not be holding a phone and steering.They are a big risk.I think licence disqualification should be brought into effect.

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by JCXR8

I am probably more qualified than some to do this as I have a third hand. Sorry, no, that's not it, I am a smoker and am used to this habit distracting me while I am driving.

Somehow i highly doubt that, and somehow i dont think Constable Plod would see it that way either. Nobody can be 'qualified' to break the law over anybody else.

Originally Posted by back2thefutura

Nobody can be 'qualified' to break the law over anybody else.

you know how many police i have seen using mobile phones and driving and some of them were even laughing on the phone while using it.

So i dont see how they were doing a proper job.

im sick of this one sided bullshit they govt carries on with.

One set of rules for them another set for us

[EA2BA]

Police are considered trained to drive and talk on a mobile phone, the general public are not.

They say talking on the phone and driving reduces the thinking ability of an adult to that of about a 5 year old.

well that fits in line with the police in this area. 5 yr olds.

[deesun]

There will probably never be correct numbers on how many accidents are caused by talking on the phone cos who's going to own up to it without a witness. "No officer I wasn't talking on my phone at the time I just didn't see the other car".

[Trevor 57]

Latest research from the good old USA says that "distraction" is responsible for 20% of all fatal and serious motor vehicle accidents.

Interestingly, the same stats said that there was NO difference in talking on a phone held to your ear versus talking on one hands free. They are both as equally distracting.

USA information though.

[Tote]

As an aside, in California it is legal to drive with a handheld mobile and it is easy to spot the people doing it who are weaving all over the road. We're assuming the ones without a phone must be ****ed.
Having said that the research above would need to be carefully inspected as there is currently a big push to outlaw driving whilst on the phone, thats usually a good time for a supporting study to pop up.
Regards,
Tote

[Mike Gayner]

Originally Posted by james

you know how many police i have seen using mobile phones and driving and some of them were even laughing on the phone while using it.

So i dont see how they were doing a proper job.

im sick of this one sided bullshit they govt carries on with.

One set of rules for them another set for us

Police officers go through very intense driver training courses, and are trained to drive while using phones and RT radios.

[davocol]

I think the problem with these statistics would be admission of guilt, I am extremely suprised anyone would admit to using a mobile phone following an accident.

[MRJUCY]

I'm not having a go or saying this is a good or bad thing but Police in NSW don't get a great deal of driver training. There is several different courses they can do depending on there job in police but most don't & I don't beleive talking on a mobile while driving is part of there instruction but they are allowed by law to talk on there phone while driving.

[kiwikid]

iv been through the training for using radios and limiting destractions, does that mean i can drive whilst on the mobile?

[AUIII XR8 MAN]

Originally Posted by bindi

Well I have stopped the talking habit completely while driving cos although I had a hands free earphone thingy, I still find it distracting.

SMSing while driving is atrociously distracting. I just don't do it anymore, plain and simple.

I see this this happen to often with car going onto the wrong side of the road or drifting into another lane with people trying to miss them & they end up in a addicent with the person on the phone driving off with out a mark on thier car.
I seen some poeple walk into thing, injuring them self because they are on the mobile phone.

Originally Posted by Mike Gayner

Police officers go through very intense driver training courses, and are trained to drive while using phones and RT radios.

LOL. :lookedat:

Honestly, being a truckie and having it in my blood (although not my profession now) I learnt to change gears, steer, talk on the CB and talk on the phone simultaneously. My proficiency became rather impressive after some time and most truckies can do this without issue. But of course this 'training' doesn't qualify them to talk on a phone.

A human is a human.

Bottom line guys. The stats show it ain't the problem. We have to stop basing our laws on our hatreds and our perceived views. The current hysteria over speeding and lowering limits hasn't paid off because it is based on the hatred and perceptions of people that have pedestrian interests at the fore. And nancy Camry driving CEOs of groups like the RTA.

Look at the figures. It's not about admission. How many people admitted they were speeding in the stats???

[T_Terror]

Agreed its ridiculous. 3 points? BAH!

Suggestions? What can we apart from vote?

[UNR8D]

Originally Posted by Mike Gayner

Police officers go through very intense driver training courses, and are trained to drive while using phones and RT radios.

LOL your kidding arnt you? why would it be less of a distraction to them than to us? do they have superhuman powers? i think not! the more u believe this buracratic bullshit the stupider the replys are? how are they more trained and more responsible to talk on a phone then the next person who has done advanced or performance driver training??? ohh thats right you ARNT taught to drive like that at all.

everyone stuffs up and they are not invincible to this at all... be interesting how easily it is covered up though if they ever did crash while on a mobile.....

Originally Posted by JCXR8

, and while I sometimes use the phone without a handsfree kit, I am probably more qualified than some to do this as I have a third hand. Sorry, no, that's not it, I am a smoker and am used to this habit distracting me while I am driving. :

you know the answer to this.... treat smoking while driving the same as using a mobile while driving...