Devices are killing our teenagers

TEENAGERS may love their phones, but their devices are killing them. New data released by the Queensland Police Service shows using a mobile phone while driving is the leading cause of fatal crashes that kill young drivers aged between 16-19 years of age.

It is a worrying trend that police want to stop as they work to make our roads safer.

A DRIVER is travelling on a highway when their phone pings – they pick it up, unlock it and read the message.

The whole sequence only takes four seconds but in that time they have travelled more than 100 meters without their eyes on the road.

“Would you drive the length of a football field with your eyes closed?” Darling Downs Police Acting-Inspector David Campbell said.

“Those are the sorts of bad decisions that people are making behind the wheel.”

Police have renewed their calls for motorists to be mindful of the Fatal Five during Road Safety Week.

Key among those five leading causes of deadly road traffic crashes is distracted driving – namely using a mobile phone while in control of a vehicle.

In 2020, inattention was a causal factor in 29 of fatal crashes in our region, with seven people dying in the Darling Downs

Acting Insp Campbell said distracted driving was over represented in two aged groups, 16-19 years-olds and people over the aged of 70.

Worrying, using a mobile phone while driving was the main cause of crashes that have killed teenagers.

“In some instances we have had other people in the car as witnesses and other times data extracted from the phone show that it was used,” Acting Insp Campbell said.

“I am aware of a crash from a couple of years ago where the phone was located in the hands of the deceased driver.”

Police know the threat posed by mobile phones and they pushed the Queensland Government to introduce a $1000 fine for anyone caught using one while driving.

The state is also rolling out a trial of roadside cameras to detect distracted drivers.

For the older age group, distracted driving often leads to motorists failing to give way and rolling into oncoming traffic.

Police are also keen to flag any intersection that becomes crash hotspot and push of safety upgrades so motorist can better gauge the speed and distance of oncoming

Acting Insp Campbell said a simple upgrade to the Warrego Highway near University of Queensland’s Gatton Campus transformed one the region’s deadliest intersections.

“TMR took away the ability to cross the highway and instead put in the U-turn lane and that immediately stopped the fatal crashes,” he said.

Despite new fines and road upgrades the responsibility falls to drivers to pay attention.

“Even in a school zone, doing 40km/h, if you are not paying attention your stopping distance is 26 metres,” he said.