Mobile phones and driving: Risks and app solutions

Did you know that using a mobile phone while driving increases your risk of a crash four-fold, regardless of whether a hands-free kit is used?

And if you take your eyes off the road – to a read a text message for example – while driving at 60 km/h for just two seconds, you'll have travelled about 33 metres completely blind?

A short lapse of concentration can have lifelong consequences.

Distracted driving slows down your reaction times and puts you in danger of failing to see hazards such as traffic lights, stop signs or other road users, including pedestrians and cyclists. 

Yet, drivers ignore the warnings

In July 2017, we surveyed 1,000 of our Members around mobile phone use while driving. The results were alarming.

A whopping 96 percent have read or sent a text message, or used social media using a hand-help phone while driving. An alarming 95 percent admitted to taking a selfie, and 91 percent have taken a call while holding their mobile phone.

The main reasons? To contact friends, family and let people know where they are.

Crash statistics

From the available NSW data, we know that driver distraction accounts for nine per cent of all driver involvements in fatal crashes between 2008 and 2016. Of these crashes, being distracted by a hand held mobile phone was a factor in two per cent of fatal crashes between 2008 and 2016.

Young drivers are more at risk of mobile phone related crashes. During 2008 to 2016, 41 percent of people involved in serious casualty crashes were aged under 26 years where a hand-held mobile phone was a contributing factor.

What’s been done so far?

The total economic impact of road crashes is estimated to be $27 billion per annum and includes the financial burden placed on the health care system as well as victims' families.

For this, the Government has taking a proactive approach to help reduce the number of accidents over the years by implementing safety initiatives such as mandatory seatbelt legislation and reduced speed limits in school zones and more recently, in New South Wales, the Get your hand off it campaign.

Road Safety Series

Technology based distractions are a growing issue, and the NRMA has prepared a series of reports with the aim of identifying the main factors involved in road crashes and initiatives that may help to reduce loss of life and injuries.

Download the first report of the Road Safety Series, Can't Talk. Driving. here.

Preventing mobile phone distraction 

While you can’t do much about distractions from outside your vehicle when you are driving, you can reduce sources of distraction inside the vehicle to help you reduce the crash risk. 

First and foremost you should keep you phone somewhere out of reach and out of sight. This is the best way to elinate any risk of being distracted by it. 

We do understand however, that this isn't always possible. The following phone functions and apps may help prevent drivers from being distracted by their phone while driving. 

Driving Mode (iOS) – A feature of the iPhone Focus mode, when added in the settings this feature will automatically detect when you are in the car and silence notifications (only compatible with cars that have Apple Car Play).

Google Assistant Driving Mode (Android) – Assistant driving mode helps you complete actions while you drive using voice commands.

Do not disturb or Focus mode– On iPhones, this feature can silence notifications and can let people know when you do not want to receive texts. If you have not set up the Driving Mode feature in your Focus settings, you can manually activate this before getting in the car. Android phones may have similar functions depending on the brand and models. 

When choosing a tool to prevent distraction while driving, consider the following:

• Is the phone app or function compatible with your car?
• Does the app function automatically when you're in the car so as not to be a distraction in it's own right? 
• Does the tool remove the potential for distraction by blocking messages and phone calls?