By Kurniawati Kamarudin
KUALA LUMPUR: Australia is often cited as an exemplary nation in respect of upholding the rule of law.
It was reported that last May, the state of New South Wales passed legislation allowing installation of red-light cameras capable of detecting drivers using mobile phones.
The first of its kind in the world, the cameras were set up on a couple of busy roads in Sydney last month. The camera technology uses a radar-based sensor system to automatically detect vehicles and record data, including photos taken through car windshields.
The first country in the world to enforce such a system, Australia is going all out to reduce its road accident rate because over there, one in four accidents is caused by mobile phone usage.
Many other countries, including Malaysia, are also facing the same menace.
But the couldn’t-care-less attitude of motorists towards their own safety and that of other road users is causing them to blatantly ignore the fact that it is an offence to use their mobile phone while driving.
Drivers fiddling with their phones are a common sight on Malaysian roads. The RM300 fine for using the mobile phone while driving is hardly a deterrent for the drivers.
According to the police, the use of mobile phones while driving is among the six major causes of road accidents in this country. Currently, no statistics are available on the actual number of accidents caused by mobile phone usage and it is usual for such offences to be categorised as negligent driving.
However, police statistics indicate that the negligence factor contributes to 10 per cent of road accidents.
The Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), an agency under the Ministry of Transport, has conducted several studies on the danger posed by mobile phone usage while driving.
A study it carried out in 2016, involving 300 respondents in the Klang Valley, revealed that 43.4 per cent of drivers in the Klang Valley use their mobile phones while driving; 61.9 per cent of them use it when they stop at a traffic light junction; and 53.6 per cent when caught in a traffic jam.
The findings also showed that 53 per cent of drivers texted at least once or up to three times while driving and 61 per cent received or made at least one or up to three calls at least once or up to three times a week.
MIROS chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the study showed that a majority of Malaysians admitted that although they knew it was dangerous to use their mobile phone while driving, they still committed the offence.
Besides sending text messages and making calls, other activities that can distract the driver’s attention while driving include adjusting the navigation system or the radio, DVD or MP3 system.
MIROS’ findings also showed that a vehicle’s braking distance differed in accordance with the type of distraction faced by the driver whilst driving.
When the driver is driving at a speed of 110 km an hour without any distraction or obstruction, the braking distance is about 97.68 metres but if he is distracted by his navigation system, then his braking distance is 113.85 metres, with a 16.55 per cent difference between the normal and distracted braking distance.
Distractions caused by adjusting the car’s radio or music system can lead to a braking distance of 112.62 metres or a 15.29 per cent difference compared to the braking distance without distraction; typing a short text message 112.62 metres or 13.63 per cent difference; and talking to passengers 108.99 metres or 11.57 per cent difference.
“Based on these findings, it is obvious that distractions while driving lead to longer braking distances, which increase the driver’s risk of getting involved in an accident,” noted Lee.
Meanwhile, a new study by MIROS in 2018 found that texting was more distracting and dangerous than talking on the mobile phone.
This is because whilst typing, the driver will face various types of distractions, namely visual, physical and cognitive that can divert his/her focus and increase his/her risk of getting involved in an accident.
According to Lee, drivers who use their mobile gadgets despite being well aware of the danger have a biased sense of optimism.
“Psychologically, it means they have this feeling that their risk of meeting with an accident is lower when compared to other drivers.
“Such an assumption is highly dangerous because these drivers tend to be overconfident and continue to use their phones,” he said.
He also urged the authorities to carry out enforcement operations more regularly throughout the country to nab drivers who use their phones while driving.
MIROS, meanwhile, has suggested that drivers download the Drivemode application from either Apple App Store or Google Play Store which will enable them to use their phones safely while driving.
Smartphone manufacturers can also create a mode or sensor that can disable all applications in the phone that requires input from the user as soon as the driver gets into the car or starts driving.
Carmakers can also consider creating a wireless application that can read out text messages and send voice-directed messages. However, the use of this application should be limited to emergency situations in order to minimise interactions between the driver and his gadget.
Lee also praised Australia’s move to install special cameras to nab drivers who use their phones while driving. He, however, said Malaysia should carry out a detailed study first if it wanted to implement a similar system here.
“Indeed, it is more efficient to use special high-tech cameras but it has to be studied first to ensure that it has a positive impact on the people of Malaysia,” he added. – Bernama
