Put a stop to texting while driving
- by: Andrew Orr
- recipient: Robert Goodwill MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Transport, with responsibilities for road safety, traffic, cycling, and walking.
Driving a car can kill or maim in an instant and yet reading and writing messages by texting, emailing or social media, which distracts the driver’s attention away from driving, is now widespread in the UK. We need to make this practice as socially unacceptable as drink driving by demanding targeted action from traffic police, much tougher punishments, and advertising campaigns to improve the attitude of motorists.
It is now common place to see motorists with their attention focused not on the road but down at their legs where they keep their phones hidden, reading and writing messages with impunity. Consequently they have no awareness of the traffic or circumstances around them, of whether a pedestrian is crossing in front of them, or a cyclist has come along side of them.
Studies have shown that texting, emailing, or using social media while driving:
- Makes a car crash 23 times more likely.
- Causes a 400% increase in time spent with eyes off the road.
- Causes more impairment that being at the drink-drive limit.
- Is even more distracting than talking on a phone.
- Is becoming the single biggest cause of deaths and injuries on roads.
Despite these statistics, using a phone while driving only carries a £100 fine and three penalty points. To stop this scourge we need more traffic police and a dedicated crack down, stronger punishments, and targeted advertising campaigns. We demand that you take this action now and deliver safer roads, for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike.
Mr Robert Goodwill MP,
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport,
Department for Transport,
Great Minster House,
33 Horseferry Road,
London SW1P 4DR
Dear Mr Goodwill,
Urgent action required to clamp down on motorists who text while driving
Driving a car can kill or maim in an instant and yet reading and writing messages by texting, emailing or social media, which distracts the motorists attention away from driving, is now widespread in the UK. It is common place to see motorists with their eyes focused not on the road but down at their legs where they think that they check their smart phones unnoticed. They are using their phones in this manner while waiting at traffic lights, junctions, and pedestrian crossing, as well as while moving. They have no awareness of the traffic or circumstances around them, of whether a pedestrian is crossing in front of them, or a cyclist has come along side of them.
Studies have shown that texting while driving:
- Makes a car crash 23 times more likely.
- Causes a 400% increase in time spent with eyes off the road.
- Causes more impairment that being at the drink-drive limit.
- Is even more distracting than talking on a phone.
- Is thought to be the single biggest cause of death and injuries on roads.
Despite these statistics, texting while driving only carries a £100 fine and three penalty points.
We ask that you improve the safety of our roads for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike. We ask that you act to make this practice as socially unacceptable as drink driving. We ask that you reverse the sharp decline in the number of traffic police and visible policing and implement a dedicated crack down on texting while driving. We ask that you implement much tougher laws, such as six points on a motorist’s license and a much higher fine. We ask that you run advertising campaigns to improve the attitude of drivers.
As Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Transport, with responsibilities for road safety, traffic, cycling, and walking, we ask that you take strong leadership and act urgently and decisively on this life and death matter.
Thank you.
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