Over half of drivers (54 percent) admit to regularly using their mobile phone while behind the wheel

MOBILE phone use behind the wheel continues to be a significant problem on Ireland’s roads but a new survey of Irish motorists reveals that nearly half of drivers would support the introduction of technology to disable certain phone functions for the sake of safety.

More than one in four respondents felt that some form of blocking device would be more effective at deterring mobile phone use than the introduction of harsher penalties.

The survey of Irish motorists for Continental Tyres’ Vision Zero initiative – a commitment to reduce road fatalities worldwide – also highlighted that more than half of drivers (54 percent) admit to regularly using their mobile phone while behind the wheel.

Some other key findings from the survey include:

· More than one third (36 percent) of respondents feel that mobile phone use is ‘normalised’ as so many people are doing it.

· 23 percent of drivers say they find it difficult to be disconnected from their mobiles for any length of time.

· 62 percent feel it is OK to use a phone in stopped or slow moving traffic versus 22 percent who said it is illegal to use a phone in any traffic situation.

In terms of the main activity that drivers engage in on their phones while behind the wheel, making / receiving calls and texting are still the most common activities – nearly two thirds or 64 percent of those who admit to using a phone behind the wheel say this is their most regular activity on the phone. However, with the recent rise in the popularity of smart phones, nearly half, 49 percent of drivers say they regularly use their phone for accessing their social media profiles while driving.