Drive-Texting Increases
The modern phenomenon of drive-texting is on the increase says a leading insurance company.
Drive-texting is when a driver at the wheel of their moving vehicle uses their mobile phone to send texts; a practice regarded by safety experts as very dangerous and one that is strictly prohibited by law, and one also causing insurance companies some concern.
And in a recent survey conducted by one of the world’s largest insurance companies, the Prudential discovered that drive-texting is on the increase. What’s more, drivers who break the law in such a way, are 23 times as likely to be involved in an accident than those that don’t indulge in drive-texting.
But what worries the experts most of all, is that when it comes to drive-texting, it doesn’t really matter if the person involved in the accident was using a handheld phone, or one with a hands-free kit. The survey statistics didn’t really see a distinction, meaning that hands-free kits are not the answer everyone thinks they are.
The guilty party behind the drive-texting accidents is incidents of divided attention and mental distractions. Which puts the blame squarely on the shoulders of the act of operating a phone which causes the distractions; it’s not a question of by what means the phone is used.
The drive-texting report, conducted by Prudential Insurance, says:
“When sending a text message, motorists travelling at 55mph could cover the length of an entire football pitch in the space of a few seconds. Combined with not looking at the road while texting, this is a lot more dangerous than making a phone call while behind the wheel.”
The Prudential Insurance is quick to remind people that those that get caught drive-texting will be liable, as a minimum, to a £60 fine and three points on their licence. Should the case be serious enough to go before a court, then this could rise to a fine £2,000 and a ban from driving.
When he was road safety minister under the previous Labour government, Paul Clark said of drive-texting:
“Tough penalties and hard-hitting campaigns have got the message through to the majority of drivers. But some are still needlessly risking their own lives and putting others in danger for the sake of a text or a call. Our message is simple: don’t use your mobile when driving.”
He may no longer be in power, but its likely the same sentiments about drive-texting will be expressed by the new Government.
Guest Article by Neil Camp
Related posts:
My name is Alan Potts and I'm the Editor of the BUYability web site and Managing Director of BUYability Limited. You can connect with me or keep up to date with new posts on this blog via the following social media sites: 
