Huge increase in Sussex drivers using mobile phones (From The Argus)
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Huge increase in Sussex drivers using mobile phones
8:48am Monday 17th September 2012 in News By Ben James
The number of Sussex drivers caught using their mobile phones at the wheel has increased by 54% in just two years, new figures have revealed.
Motoring groups have called the findings “extremely concerning”, with experts predicting that cases will only increase with the growing popularity of Smartphones and apps.
An AA spokesman called the rise a “real problem”, adding that people were “addicted” to their mobiles.
He said: “They know they’re not supposed to do it, but when that phone goes off on the passenger seat they feel that they have to answer it straight away.”
The figures, which show the penalty notices broken down by police force area, were revealed following a question in Parliament from Andrew Griffiths, MP for Burton.
In 2008, 2,742 drivers in the county were stopped by police for using their mobiles at the wheel.
That figure went up to 3,623 in 2009 before leaping to 4,250 the following year.
In comparison, the latest figures for the surrounding forces are much lower.
In Hampshire, just 1,700 motorists were caught in 2010, down from 5,152 two years ago.
In Surrey 3,388 were caught, up from 2,939 in 2010 and in Dorset just 1,129 were caught down from 1,489.
The latest figures also put Sussex as tenth highest out of the 43 forces listed for offending.
An AA spokesman said: “It could be viewed that the increase is due to extra efforts by police to catch offenders.
“However, I think the numbers speak for themselves because forces will often put an increased emphasis on certain offences when they feel there is a problem in the first place.”
Experts are warning that the problem is likely to get worse with the increase in popularity of Smartphones and mobile apps.
An example of this kind of offending hit the headlines last month when police caught 80 drivers taking pictures of a woman being cut out of her car on the M1.
Sussex Police have repeatedly warned motorists about using mobile phones, but admit that they are experiencing a rise.
A spokesman said: “It has increased over the years from texting and calling to email and other uses of the internet.
“We have become increasingly robust with dealing with offenders.
“They can be a contributory factor in collisions as people are distracted. Sussex Police is committed to reducing deaths and injuries on the road and will continue to target those who choose to use their phones whilst driving.”
Amy Aeron-Thomas, executive director of the RoadPeace, said that research had proved that using a phone at the wheel is even more dangerous than drink driving.
She added: “Using a mobile phone is highly dangerous and should be treated as such.
“We have serious concerns however that with dwindling numbers of traffic police and without fear of detection or enforcement that this cannot be sustained.
“Drivers must learn to switch off before they turn on.”
Comments(16)
kopite_rob
says...
9:15am Mon 17 Sep 12
This morning the lady in the yellow 09 Mini in front of me drove from Brighton to Burgess Hill on the A273 one handed while flicking cigarette ash out of her window until eventually the butt went the same way.
Swiftly followed by a can of energy drink, so whilst drinking from it she only had one hand on the wheel and her eyes looking at the headliner above her.
The chap behind me in the 2010 black Audi and the blue Yaris behind him went through a red light at the Hassocks junction whilst a group of at least 10 schoolchildren waited to cross.
Going past Hassocks Golf club the chap in the Audi was more interested in texting than watching the road.
The woman in the Mini overtook a cyclist on a blind bend and ended up pulling into him as the oncoming traffic inevitably came round.
Neither the Mini, Audi or Yaris indicated going past the cyclist, nor the Audi or Yaris visibly moved away from the cyclist when passing, however it did save having to indicate when they pulled back in.
The Audi's indicators were still broken when it reached the London Road/Jane Murray Way roundabout. The trust the Yaris driver had in the the Audi was extraordinary. As they both went past me he was only a few feet from his rear bumper.
The blue Micra I was now following came to a complete stop in the road with no oncoming traffic.Then turned right at very low speed entering the junction on the wrong side of the road.
Yet for some reason speed cameras are seen as improving road safety over putting traffic officers in cars!
Nathan_Adler
says...
9:31am Mon 17 Sep 12
Driving along the A23 5 days a week, I see mostly young women as the culprits.
Followed by white van man
Followed by company reps
Followed by Asian men (not racist, just an observation!!)
Old Ladys Gin
says...
9:42am Mon 17 Sep 12
monkeymoo wrote:I just spilt the coffee I was drinking whilst driving reading that comment.....;)
Yet again...ANOTHER story about DRIVERS breaking the law. Why cant they try and be irresponsible like cyclists, and conform to all road legislation!?
Crystal Ball
says...
10:04am Mon 17 Sep 12
raymondo999
says...
10:07am Mon 17 Sep 12
emma barnes
says...
10:35am Mon 17 Sep 12
raymondo999 wrote:The title is a bit misleading - Should have read "Huge increase in Sussex drivers using mobile phones, stopped and prosecuted". The figures are from persons receiving fixed penalty notices - so that is the number of prosecutions.
But how many were prosecuted and found guilty? And what penalties did they get?
rayellerton
says...
10:53am Mon 17 Sep 12
graham_Seagull
says...
11:05am Mon 17 Sep 12
rayellerton wrote:resreach has shown time and again that just because the mobile isnt held to ones ear, the actual act of being engaged on a phone call decreases the driving capability to that of a drunk driver.
What is wrong with bluetooth? most modern phones have this facility, and many cars audio also have it...I have used it in my old van and my jeep for the last 3 years.....if you dont have it, then bluetooth earpieces are cheap enough. Why risk your own life and more importantly other innocent victims if the phone distracts you from driving safely?
Blue tooth is not the answer I'm afraid, turning off the phone is.
Countless times I;ve been driving to/ from work and its sooo easy to spot the driver in front on the mobile driving faster, then slower, then gently swerving, then braking...and sure enough theyre chatting away without the phone visible.
graham_Seagull
says...
11:07am Mon 17 Sep 12
signifi cant distraction, and substantially increases the risk of the driver crashing. High mileage and company car
drivers are more likely than most to use a mobile phone while driving.
Some employers provide mobile phones or reimburse the cost of work-related calls made on private ones.
There are good business reasons to do so. There are also good health and safety reasons for lone workers and
staff who travel in areas where summoning help (if they break down, for example) may be diffi cult. But, this
should not mean that staff use the phone while driving.
Drivers who use a mobile phone, whether hand-held or hands-free:
are much less aware of what’s happening on the road around them
fail to see road signs
fail to maintain proper lane position and steady speed
are more likely to ‘tailgate’ the vehicle in front
react more slowly and take longer to brake
are more likely to enter unsafe gaps in traffi c
feel more stressed and frustrated.
Research indicates
http://www.rospa.com
/roadsafety/info/wor
kmobiles.pdf
billy goat-gruff
says...
11:08am Mon 17 Sep 12
monkeymoo wrote:Ha ha ha! wondered how long it would take to turn news about careless drivers into an anti-cyclist rant! Well done, Argus moaning motorists.. (Have you tried texting whilst cycing - not easy!)
Yet again...ANOTHER story about DRIVERS breaking the law. Why cant they try and be irresponsible like cyclists, and conform to all road legislation!?
monkeymoo
says...
11:17am Mon 17 Sep 12
billy goat-gruff wrote:I never text whilst cycling....I'm normally too busy playing angry birds on my ipad!
monkeymoo wrote:Ha ha ha! wondered how long it would take to turn news about careless drivers into an anti-cyclist rant! Well done, Argus moaning motorists.. (Have you tried texting whilst cycing - not easy!)
Yet again...ANOTHER story about DRIVERS breaking the law. Why cant they try and be irresponsible like cyclists, and conform to all road legislation!?
Crystal Ball
says...
11:22am Mon 17 Sep 12
Nathan_Adler wrote:Could this article be directed to the young lady driving a brown Nissan Micra cabriolet (why?) weaving in the middle lane of the M23 last night around 8:30pm whilst texting in clear view of other drivers?
Is it me or do women (particularly the younger models) seem to be the worst offenders.
Driving along the A23 5 days a week, I see mostly young women as the culprits.
Followed by white van man
Followed by company reps
Followed by Asian men (not racist, just an observation!!)
Stupid idiot.
graham_Seagull
says...
12:48pm Mon 17 Sep 12
monkeymoo wrote:Even if I started off today texting whilst cycling, the probability of me killing someone other than myself is somewhat remote. I, on the other hand, would probably end up dead in no time at all.
Yet again...ANOTHER story about DRIVERS breaking the law. Why cant they try and be irresponsible like cyclists, and conform to all road legislation!?
Thats the difference....the impact of not taking care when driving a tonne of metal is a massive difference.
rayellerton
says...
2:54pm Mon 17 Sep 12
kraftwerker
says...
12:21pm Tue 18 Sep 12
I may well not be the perfect driver, but I'm better than the vast amount of numpties out there.
monkeymoo says...
9:03am Mon 17 Sep 12