Tringa
Numpty of the Day'
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The Common Transport Select Committee has suggested that drivers could be banned from using hands-free mobile phones in cars - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49320473
Is this a sensible idea?
I'm not suggesting using hands-free mobiles is a good thing, but given the police are struggling to enforce the current law regarding mobiles phones -
" While the number of people killed or seriously injured in such incidents has increased since 2011, the rate of enforcement regarding phone use has fallen by more than two-thirds over the same period, the report added. " -
is this the way forward?
While spotting a driver using a hand held phone/device is relatively easy, spotting the use of a hand-free devices is much more difficult.
I'd be interested to know how many of the 773 casualties in 2017 where a mobile device was a contributory factor involved hands-free devices.
As I said I'm not suggesting hands-free devices are without their problems when used by drivers and I can understand the argument that someone on the other end of the phone cannot see the road conditions and therefore might distract the driver at a crucial time.
However, distracting the driver could be caused by someone in the car too, who is not aware of the road conditions, eg a young child or elderly person (my late MiL was classic for this; totally unaware of anything happening outside the car), so should other distractions be banned?
Is the current penalty for use of a hand held device not enough of a deterrent (6 points and a £200) given the risk of getting caught is relatively low? Should it be the immediate impounding of the vehicle?
Dave
Is this a sensible idea?
I'm not suggesting using hands-free mobiles is a good thing, but given the police are struggling to enforce the current law regarding mobiles phones -
" While the number of people killed or seriously injured in such incidents has increased since 2011, the rate of enforcement regarding phone use has fallen by more than two-thirds over the same period, the report added. " -
is this the way forward?
While spotting a driver using a hand held phone/device is relatively easy, spotting the use of a hand-free devices is much more difficult.
I'd be interested to know how many of the 773 casualties in 2017 where a mobile device was a contributory factor involved hands-free devices.
As I said I'm not suggesting hands-free devices are without their problems when used by drivers and I can understand the argument that someone on the other end of the phone cannot see the road conditions and therefore might distract the driver at a crucial time.
However, distracting the driver could be caused by someone in the car too, who is not aware of the road conditions, eg a young child or elderly person (my late MiL was classic for this; totally unaware of anything happening outside the car), so should other distractions be banned?
Is the current penalty for use of a hand held device not enough of a deterrent (6 points and a £200) given the risk of getting caught is relatively low? Should it be the immediate impounding of the vehicle?
Dave