Driven to distraction

Nov 28 2008 by Kieran West Brook, Dumfries Standard Friday

Driven to distraction

DUMFRIES and Galloway Constabulary is holding a mobile phone action day in an attempt to deter people from using their phones while driving.

During next Wednesday’s action day, police will be especially targeting motorists who persist in using their mobiles while driving.

Acting Sergeant David Dalgleish from the Road Safety Unit said: “The best advice to drivers is: switch your phone off when you are driving.

“That way you will not be tempted to answer it if it rings or receives a text message.

“If you need to keep it switched on, always find a safe place to stop and then take the call or call back the person who called you.

“Remember no call is worth dying for.”

Tests have shown that a driver’s reaction time is nearly 50 per cent slower when using a mobile phone than driving normally.

During 2007, 12 people died, 157 were seriously injured and 461 suffered minor injuries in road accidents in the region.

A survey into the causes of these accidents showed that driver distraction was one of the main causes.

It also highlighted that mobile phone use was one of the main distractions for a driver.