Cork Road Safety Working Together Group Local Road Safety Plan
Mobile Phones
According to international research, distracted driving could be a factor in 20-30% of all collisions. This means that driver distraction could be a contributory factor in over 1,400 fatal and injury collisions annually. Drivers are four times more likely to be involved in a collision if they use a mobile phone while driving 1 The Road Safety Authority’s Driver attitude and behaviour survey 2021 2 showed that almost 1 in 4 (23%) of drivers check mobile phone notifications while driving. The survey also found that 19% of respondents use their phone to read messages/emails, while 13% write messages/emails from behind the wheel. In addition, 12% of motorists admitted to using their phones to check social media.
10% of drivers admit to texting, at least sometimes, while driving.
9% of motorists check apps, at least sometimes, while driving.
Garda detections (Jan – Sept 2018-2021) show that 75% of drivers arrested for driving using a mobile phone while driving were men.
Fatigue
Driving is a complex task that can be impaired by fatigue. Many sleep-related crashes are because of lifestyle issues- such as driving without adequate sleep, and some are due to medical conditions.
It is estimated that driver fatigue is a contributory factor in as many as one in five fatal crashes in Ireland every year. Tiredness-related collisions are three times more likely to be fatal or result in a serious injury. Research carried out by the Road Safety Authority have found that 28% of motorists in Ireland say they have fallen asleep or nodded off, even if only for a moment when driving 3 .
Among people who drive for work, this increases to 33% who say they have ever fallen asleep or nodded off, even if only for a moment when driving.
1 https://www.rsa.ie/road-safety/campaigns/mobile-phones-and-distractions 2 The Road Safety Authority’s Driver Attitudes & Behaviour Survey 2021 3 https://www.rsa.ie/docs/default-source/default-document-library/driver-attitudes-and-behaviour- survey-2020.pdf?sfvrsn=6c5a630b_3
Page | 14
Powered by FlippingBook