- Trish Whelan
Britain announces mobiles ban in cars
27 June 2003: The British Government has announced details of a new law banning hand-held mobile phone use while driving, with those breaking the law facing fines up to £1,000.
Motoring organisation RAC Ireland has welcomed the legislation and are now calling upon the Irish Government to implement similar legislation here.
Robert Taylor, Managing Director, RAC Ireland, says many drivers 'are still complacent' about the dangers of using a mobile phone while on the road.
The RAC in Ireland recommend that (1) Motorists never use a hand-held mobile phone while driving, (2) Buy, fit and always use a good hands-free system, (3) Use the phone's features in order to minimise distraction, such as voice mail for incoming calls and single number or speech dialing of pre-programmed numbers, (4) Do not take or make calls when road, traffic or weather conditions are poor, (5) If you must make a call, keep it short. Do not make long or complicated calls; never argue or negotiate on the move.
Meanwhile, Swedish researchers have found that hands-free phones may be no safer to use in cars than mobiles, and that the distraction of holding a phone conversation is likely to be the real problem with in-car phones.
The country's National Road Administration found that there was almost no difference between groups using both systems in similar simulated driving situations.
The results are in line with other research recently published in the Psychological Science journal.
Though a number of european countries and US states ban phone conversations while driving, the Swedish NRA said it would not be recommending such a ban for Sweden.
©2003 irishcar.com