Road safety campaign underway for mobile-using drivers

Date: 26/1/2011

Motorists in Leicestershire who are caught using mobile phones while driving are being sent to road safety sessions as part of a new campaign set to run for the next few months.

The sessions see offending drivers advised of the risks of using a mobile phone in the car and shown a video on road safety, the BBC reports.

Five such drivers were caught by police in one part of Leicester last Friday (January 21st), according to the Leicester Mercury.

Speaking to the newspaper, head of the Leicestershire Constabulary Road Policing Unit Inspector Viv Brenchley said: "We will continue in the coming days, weeks and months to challenge those who risk the safety of others by talking on mobile phones."

Today (January 27th), TRL's Dr Nick Reed, Senior Human Factors Researcher, was interviewed by Radio Leicester on the dangers of using a mobile phone while driving.

TRL has conducted much research into this area, including work that has looked at the 'Dangers of texting whilst driving,' 'Conversation in cars - the relative hazards of mobile phones,' and 'How dangerous is driving with a mobile phone? Benchmarking the impairment to alcohol.' These reports can be found by visiting: http://www.trl.co.uk/online_store/reports_publications/

Earlier this month, Sergeant Chris Rawlings of Gloucestershire police issued a plea to drivers in the county to bear in mind that there are four main causes of road fatalities.

These are speeding, failing to wear a seatbelt, driving while under the influences of drugs or drink and using a mobile phone, he told the Gloucestershire Echo.

Posted by Sarah Bailey