Should All Phone Calls be Banned When Driving
One of the hot topics circulating around the world of driving at the moment is the debate on should all phone calls be banned when driving. Like operating the radio or ancillary controls of a vehicle or following a sat nav. –
Where does the line for acceptable distraction when driving lie towards the end of 2019.
After discussions here at Pass Me Faster we’ve come up with a few Pros and Cons of using hands free.
Pros for a Ban – Should All Phone Calls be Banned When Driving
A University of Reading study conducted as far back as 1999 showed staggering facts on the topic of hands free phone calls. –
Experienced drivers hazard awareness skills and reaction time dropped remarkably when engaged in a hands free phone call. The significance of this drop reduced them to the skill set of novice drivers.
Put another way –
Hands free phone calls not only completely wipe out any benefits of up to 10 plus years of driving experience.
They also delay your reaction time to just above the legal drink drive limit.
Its definitely worth thinking about when considering which side of the fence your on.
Hands Free or Adult Passengers – What’s the Difference
For anyone struggling with the concept of why hands free is more dangerous than say
Having a couple of chatty adult passengers with you just consider this for a minute –
Try comparing for example young children in the car against experienced adult passengers when asking yourself the next two questions.
(a) Which of these groups will be quiet at more demanding parts of the drive and may even point out something you have missed.
(b) Which of these groups will carry on talking regardless of whats happening around them?
The point were trying to make is somebody on the phone chatting to you from 100 miles away has no idea what’s happening in and around your car. Thus they just carry on regardless.
Cons for a Ban – Should All Phone Calls be Banned When Driving
With so many valid safety points in favour of a ban on hands free phone calls you may be forgiven for wondering –
”why the debate.”
I guess with all the safety benefits banning hands free calling, the argument comes from more of a practicality box number.
Is it Realistic to Expect a Ban on Hands Free to be Policed?
If a ban was imposed how would it be policed?
Texting and driving laws were introduced in 2003 and by 2007 a driver could incur 3 penalty points on their licence and a £60 pound fine.
Despite this ban and a push by driver trainer professionals on Driving Lessons – is the message of texting and driving getting through to the masses?
It’s worth having a think about this –
How many drivers do you notice when your out on your travels staring down at their mobile phones. Whether in traffic jams, at drive through’s, waiting at roundabouts or even during free flowing traffic.
Would a ban on hands free even be able to be enforced and if so how?
Although policing hands free may prove difficult, in the event of an accident phone records can be investigated. The phone call could be taken as a contributory factor to the crash.
Also worth considering is-
Could making a quick call to inform loved ones or work colleges of a delay reduce the temptation to rush.
Another point to take into consideration when thinking of driver distraction is how a hands free phone conversation is any more distracting than say –
(a) The barking voice of a wrong sat nav destination bursting out into your vehicle?
or
(b) An over excitable radio presenter or song you may like unexpectedly popping out your ear drums?
Although possibly not as engaging as chatting to someone on the phone they still can cause unexpected distractions that the motorist is expected to deal with on a daily basis.
What’s Your Final Thoughts on – Should All Phone Calls be Banned When Driving
The government is facing growing calls from MP’s to ban drivers from using hands free devices when driving and also –
One of the contributory factors of 43 deaths and 135 serious injuries in 2017 was the driver being distracted by some kind of mobile device. As a result of this it’s no surprise that this debate still needs careful consideration.
Here at Pass Me Faster we would love to hear your views on things so please feel free to comment below.
