Hands-free phone chats at the wheel are as risky as driving while holding your mobile and should be banned, expert warns
MPs were told hands-free phone conversations are no less dangerous while driving. Experts warn that using a hands-free kit is as risky – if not more so – than driving at the UK’s legal alcohol limit.
A hands-free phone conversation while driving is just as dangerous as chatting while holding your phone, MPs were told yesterday.
Experts also said using a hands-free kit is as risky – if not more so – than driving at the legal alcohol limit.
In March 2017, the Government doubled the punishment for using a hand-held phone at the wheel to six penalty points and a £200 fine.
But Dr Shaun Helman, of the Transport Research Laboratory, said it should be extended to the use of hands-free devices.
He told the Commons transport committee that hands-free conversations are just as distracting.
This was echoed by Open University’s Dr Gemma Briggs, who said a conversation with a passenger is less dangerous than talking to someone on a hands-free device.
She explained: ‘This is because you create mental images of where they are, what they’re discussing, what they’re up to, and the mental resources required to create those mental images are also required for accurate perception of that driving situation.’
RoSPA have
recently published a series of video clips containing advice on group riding,
where a motorcycle trainer shares his experiences of organising group rides.
The clips are designed for those who have not organised a group ride before and
contain advice to help riders ensure maximum safety and enjoyment while taking
part in their group ride, whilst avoiding common pitfalls.
Brexit is sending shockwaves across the UK and the latest fallout from the deal could impact British motorists.
Driving in the EU may become extremely expensive for expat motorists currently living in the EU to remain on the roads legally.
The costs of driving in the EU after the 29th March have been looked into after 20 per cent of Britons were planning on, or considering, driving in one or more EU countries at some point in the next year.
Collectively, the cost of International Driving Permits which British motorists will be required to buy to drive in EU countries could cost as much a £36 billion.
TThe Department of Transport (DfT) published two documents outlining the bureaucracy facing drivers planning holidays or living abroad if Theresa May’s Brexit deal is rejected this evening.
The DfT said if no agreement is reached with Brussels, anyone with a UK driving licence may need to purchase an International Driving Permit (IDP) for £5.50 from the Post Office if they want to drive within in the EU after March 29.
But it warned a no-deal Brexit could pose a much bigger headache for many of the 1.3million Britons living within the EU. They will not be able to apply for an IDP.
Instead they will have to exchange their British licence for a local one before the UK leaves the EU if they want to be able to continue driving there.
The DfT warned that ‘increased demand may lead to longer processing times and delays to exchanging driving licences the closer it is to March 29, 2019’.
Police launched a week-long campaign on Monday on traffic lights, to stamp down on those driving through red lights and creeping over lines.
This will be the sixth such campaign this year, police said, as part of efforts for the prevention and reduction of road accidents, but also raise road safety awareness among drivers.
CyprusDriving does not collect or retain any user details.
Google adsense and analytics are live on the site. Google uses cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. Google also shares information about your use of our site with advertising and analytics partners. AcceptRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.