The Donegal Road Safety Working Group’s latest campaign is focusing on mobile phone use, with a particular emphasis on the risk of driver distraction.
The group says if drivers take their eyes off the road for as little as two seconds, a car will have travelled 33 metres at 60kph, and 55 metres at 100kph.
Last year, almost 29,000 fixed penalty notices were issued for using a mobile phone while driving from January to November.
Donegal Road Safety Officer Brian O’Donnell says the risk is also there is using Bluetooth and other handsfree systems………………….
RSWG statement in full
Keep your mobile phone out of reach while driving
Research continues to show that being distracted while driving, when using a mobile phone, increases the risk of a collision and Donegal Road Safety Working Group is urging motorists to put their phones out of reach before their journey begins so they are not tempted to use it while driving.
Brian O’Donnell, Road Safety Officer with Donegal County Council explains “driving at 60 kph, if a motorist takes their eyes of the road to look at a phone for just two seconds, a vehicle will travel 33 meters and in that time lapse a motorist will be totally oblivious to what is happening on the road.
“A short lapse of concentration can have lifelong consequences, using a mobile phone while driving significantly increases the chances of being involved in a serious or fatal collision”.
The table below shows the distance travelled at different speeds when you take your eyes off the road for just two seconds:
| Speed | Meters travelled in 2 seconds |
| 40 kph | 22 |
| 50 kph | 28 |
| 60 kph | 33 |
| 80 kph | 44 |
| 100 kph | 55 |
“This new road safety campaign being launched by Donegal Road Safety Working group aims to highlight the serious consequences of using your mobile phone while driving, which could cost you or those you care about everything. Even if you are using a hands-free phone you should avoid making or answering calls when driving. If there is a need to answer a call, pull in safely before doing so” says Brian O’Donnell.
“Motorists must be more aware of the incredible danger of using their phone while driving and it is time to banish mobile phones from the driver’s sight by placing them out of reach and out of sight. Using a mobile phone while driving creates a significant risk to all road users and this practice needs to stop”.
“We are asking drivers to be fully aware of how their mobile phones takes their attention away from driving and having your full attention is never more important than when the lives of other road users are at risk”.
He adds “It is just not worth it, just to take a call or answer a text. The safety of all road users is paramount and we want to ensure that everyone uses the road safely and with consideration for all road users. This campaign sets out to urge motorists to put their phones out of reach before their journey so they are not tempted to use it while driving, ensuring they keep both themselves and others out of danger when on the road”.
28,892 fixed penalty notices were issued for using a mobile phone while driving from January to November 2018.
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