An international survey of 837 drivers who used cellphones while driving found that almost half swerved or drifted into another lane, 23% had tailgated, 21% had cut another driver off, and 18% nearly hit another vehicle.
Despite these statistics, as well as national law prohibiting the use of a cellphone while driving, unless using a hands-free kit, people continue to talk and text on their phones while driving, wreaking havoc on the roads and endangering lives.
This is according to Dr Pieter Streicher, MD of BulkSMS.com and a Wireless Application Service Provider Association board member. Aside from society's seeming addiction to cellphones, Streicher attributes this dangerous trend to the legacy of the country's communications systems.
Cellular technology has only been big news in SA for 15 years, meaning a large proportion of current cellphone users are from the generations that were raised only having a landline phone at home, he explains.
As cellphones constitute a relatively new technology, society has not made the link between the dangers of cellphone use while driving, as they have with alcohol abuse while driving, notes Streicher. To this end, people are not cognisant of the level of their distraction while using their cellphone.
Arthur Goldstuck, MD of World Wide Worx, agrees but highlights that South African road safety apathy is a big part of the problem as well. “There is no question about this being an issue with cellphone users in SA, but it is paired with the fact that there is little enforcement of safe driving practice on our roads, and therefore little concern about safety and the rights of others on the road,” he notes.
Point of distraction
Streicher points to a qualitative test conducted at the Western Washington University in which a clown on a monocycle, a rather conspicuous sight, was placed on campus. The reactions of the students to the clown were then observed and surveyed.
It was found the majority of students talking on their cellphones did not notice the clown. However, people who were walking in pairs did notice the clown, even though they were engaged in conversation.
Streicher believes the distraction of the cellphone users is specifically related to the inability to see the person on the other end of the line. Coupled with poor sound quality, people unwillingly have to concentrate more when engaging in cellphone calls.
Based on this theory, laws allowing the use of a hands-free kit do not account for the driver's distraction during cellular conversations. This is because the cellphone user would still have to dial the number on the keypad while driving, as well as engage in concentration-intensive conversation while driving - increasing the chances of causing an accident six-fold, he says.
“There are two components here: inability to operate the vehicle due to using only one hand, and the inability to concentrate on the road and traffic due to being engaged in conversation. The former can be regulated by law; the latter not, since it is the equivalent of listening to radio or having a conversation with a passenger - something you cannot legislate against,” argues Goldstuck.
According to the local Word Wide Worx 2009 mobility report, only 33% of drivers have a hands-free kit. Some 28% of those without hands-free kits still talk on their cellphones while driving, equating to 19% of all drivers.
The other major danger lies in texting while driving, warns Streicher. This forces the driver to look at the cellphone's screen, instead of through the windscreen, for up to five seconds at a time - ample time for a car crash to occur. Drivers who text while driving are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash, he warns.
Industry responsibility
Technology has its benefits, but it also has it dangers, offers Streicher. Because industry players are at the forefront of these technologies, the onus is on them to establish standards, rules and dangers associated with the technology.
To tackle this issue, the industry must invest in research and consumer education on the dangers of combining cars and cellphone usage, he adds.
Goldstuck agrees: “Both industry and the authorities should highlight the statistics of unsafe driving, but not only regarding cellphones in isolation. In other words, highlight the impact of a range of unsafe practices, including driving while talking on a cellphone in hand.”
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