– By Marc Sibbald –
Volvo is the authority on global automotive safety – it has been an integral part of their DNA since the very first car back in 1927. So for the first time Volvo Car Australia has conducted a survey looking at driver’s attitudes towards safety using an online questionnaire that reached 750 licensed drivers nationally*. They have released some results based on the questions about mobile use while driving.
As a someone who spends a lot of time driving around Sydney, I’m still surprised by the number of people I see holding their phone and talking. So based on my straw poll, its more surprising that seven out of 10 drivers in Australia support big increases in fines and penalties for drivers caught illegally texting or talking on mobile phones in vehicles according to the 2015 Volvo Car Australia Safety Index.
The other interesting results from the respondents were that 87% say using mobiles is similar to drink-driving, and 42% support outright ban on mobiles being used in cars. Yet people, and fleet drivers, still do it!
Volvo’s national study of drivers’ attitudes to safety found 87% of drivers agree that texting or making calls reduces reaction times and is similar to driving under the influence of alcohol.
Each year more than 120,000 drivers around Australia are fined for illegally texting or talking on the phone while driving. All Australian states and territories have laws which require mobile phones to be operated hands-free or placed in a commercial cradle.
Volvo’s national study found illegal use of mobiles is most prevalent in drivers less than 35 years of age, with around one in two admitting to regularly texting, making calls or web surfing without hands free.
When asked why they did this even though it is illegal:
- 32% said they did it out of habit
- 26% said they can “multi-task” whilst driving
- 22% want to remain connected to family, friends or work
- 7% say they are addicted to texting
Volvo Car Australia Managing Director, Kevin McCann, said the strong public support among drivers nationally for heavier fines and an outright ban on mobile phones highlighted growing concerns about safety on our roads.
“With 1 in 3 drivers admitting to making a call or texting while behind the wheel there is still much work to be done to reduce distractions for road users. Volvo is at the forefront of the next generation of voice recognition and hands free technologies to address these issues.
“The results from Volvo’s Driver Safety Index shows many drivers believe that “driving is for driving” – not for chatting, organising social events, texting, reading, or any of the diverse in-vehicle activities that can divert attention and affect safe driving.”
*National online survey of licensed drivers in all states & territories conducted between April, 13-27, 2015
