Drivers on mobiles more likely to crash

DRIVERS using mobile phones, even those that are hands-free, are four times as likely to be involved in a serious crash, a study has shown.

It also found that the increased risk remained irrespective of whether the driver was a man or a woman or what age they were.

In particular, the study also dispelled the belief that hands-free phones were less distracting.

It found that the injury crash risk did not differ from one type of reported phone use to the other.

The findings, based on the experience of about 500 drivers and published in the British Medical Journal, found that weather was not a factor in the crashes, almost 75% of which occurred in clear conditions.

It also found 89% of the crashes involved other vehicles. More than half of the injured drivers reported that their crashes occurred within 10 minutes of the start of the trip.

The National Safety Council said the study, conducted in Western Australia, was similar to research carried out by the British Transport Research Laboratory.

In 2002 the laboratory found that drivers on mobiles had slower reaction times and stopping times than those under the influence of alcohol.

And it said hands-free kits were almost as dangerous as hand-held phones.

"From a safety point of view motorists should not use a hand-held or hands-free mobile phone while driving because it is a distraction," said National Safety Council spokesperson, Brian Farrell.

The use of hand-held mobile phones while driving was banned in Britain in November 2003.

Attorney General, Rory Brady, recently advised the Department of Transport that legislation will be needed to ban hand-held phones while driving in Ireland.

Department officials are considering how the proposed legislation should be framed.

But, as the law stands, a driver risks getting five penalty points and a fine of up to €1,500 if using the mobile causes careless driving.

Gardaí can still pursue drivers using mobiles and charge them with careless driving even in cases where no accident has occurred.

The department also confirmed that gardaí have the power to check telephone records if they suspect that a driver involved in a crash was using a mobile phone at the time.

The study was conducted in Australia to estimate the crash risk in a jurisdiction where hand-held phone use is banned.

Despite the prohibition, which was introduced in July 2001, one-third of drivers said their calls had been placed on hand-held phones.

The increased risk was estimated by comparing phone use within 10 minutes before a crash occurred with use by the same driver during the prior week.

Similar results were found where the phone was used in the five minutes before a crash.