NSW crackdown on mobile-happy motorists - News - Communications

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This story was printed from ZDNet Australia.
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NSW crackdown on mobile-happy motorists

By Andrew Colley, 0
May 09, 2002
URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/NSW-crackdown-on-mobile-happy-motorists/0,130061791,120265129,00.htm

NSW State Transport Minister Carl Scully will increase penalties for motorists caught using mobile phones while driving, following overseas studies indicating the activity is more dangerous than drink driving.

When the new penalties take effect on July 1, the fine for using a handheld mobile while driving will increase 95 percent from AU$118 to AU$220. NSW will also become the second Australian state to impose a licence penalty for the offence, deducting three driver merit points.

According to Road and Traffic Authority (RTA) spokesperson Murray Hillan, the new measures are intended to make drivers sit up and take notice.

"We know there's a problem, we know its dangerous...what we have done is say 'we're serious about this, don't do it'," he said.

Studies conducted by a United Kingdom motor insurer indicate that drivers using handheld mobiles while travelling at 110 km/h have their reaction time slowed by 50 percent, that's 30 percent more than than a driver with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08.

The minister also revealed that New South Wales has netted nearly AU$5 million from 42,000 drivers fined for the offence over the last four years.

The RTA said it has no way of determining how many driving accidents are caused by mobile phone use, but according to studies carried out by Queensland academics drivers who use mobile phones on the road are four-times more likely to have an accident.

Telstra surveyed the driving behaviour of its customers late last year. It revealed that one in five of its customers sent SMS messages while driving, one-third made calls, one in 10 did not know that using a phone while driving is illegal and, the same proportion had narrowly avoided accidents brought on by using their handsets behind the wheel.

NSW is the second state to crack down on illegal use of handheld mobiles in the last six months. Late last year, Victoria sent a warning to motorists that it would monitor motorist closely after revelations that 19,000 motorist had committed the offence in the 2000 period.