Technology continues to takeover our day-to-day lives, supposedly making everything easier.

The demand for consumer-friendly tech continues to rise and it’s likely to become further integrated into our work and leisure time. In fact, data collected by Statista has shown that revenue in the Consumer Electronic markets reached around £23.61 billion in 2022.

The results of Deloitte’s Mobile Consumer Survey 2019 show that around 90% of adults own a smartphone. Their Digital Consumer Trends 2022 report found that 91% of people use their smartphones every day.

With advanced technology becoming more accessible than ever, is it helping drivers?

Put your phone down

Mobile phones have been commercially available in the UK since 1992 when Motorola released the Personal Phone. Since then, we’ve seen the technology grow in potential and popularity over the last 30 years.

With so many phones in people’s pockets, research has found that nearly half of all drivers aged between 25 and 34 have admitted to making or receiving calls when driving. The fact comes despite the repeated research proving that you are four times more likely to crash using a phone behind the wheel. If you’re texting or typing, that jumps to six times.

An important message

Texting while driving has been illegal since 2003. However, in March 2022, these laws were further expanded to cover the new processes that phones can accomplish, such as browsing the internet and further messaging beyond solely texting. This has also been extended to sat navs, tablets, and other devices that can “send and receive data”. Being caught in defiance of these laws can result in you receiving six penalty points on your licence and a £200 fine.

If your licence was received within two years prior to you being caught on your phone behind the wheel, it can be taken away from you. Should the courts become involved, you could be banned from driving and receive a maximum fine of £1,000, or £2,500 if you’re driving a lorry or bus.

The best way to avoid these punishments is to not even look at your phone while driving. If you’re expecting an important call, connecting your phone to your car’s Bluetooth system or investing in a hands-free headset with a quick-answer button cuts out the need to look at your phone screen. However, repeated research shows that even hands free phone use behind the wheel is a as dangerous as drink driving.

 

Take out your headphones

As mobile phones have advanced over the three decades, so have the peripherals that can be used with them . Headphones come as standard with every smartphone on the market. What’s more, they usually have a microphone attached for hands-free phone calls, as well as for listening to music and watching videos.

While 97% of respondents to the Audio Analytics survey said they thought it was dangerous to wear headphones or earphones while driving, 37% also stated they found themselves in a hazardous situation over the year prior while wearing them.

There are currently no laws stating you cannot wear headphones while driving. However, if police pulled you over while you had a pair on, they could penalise you for not being in line with the ‘due care and attention’ act.

Driving requires continuous attention to the road and road users around you. Research has proven that human beings react faster to sounds rather than sight. So, limiting your hearing can have a huge impact on your safety while behind the wheel. If you want to listen to the radio or music, connecting your phone to an aux cord or Bluetooth playing through your car speakers is much safer for everyone.

Tech safe

It reds as if technology is making everything more unsafe. However, a lot of the evolution of in-car technology assists drivers, and has had the sole goal of making our journeys safer. It’s common for cars now to have parking assist tools like sensors, ABS is standard on all cars, skid control common and even automatic emergency braking systems are integrated on most new cars.

Automation will play a huge part in the future of motoring technology. It can be seen , in the further development of blind spot warning (BSW) systems that can detect oncoming threats. In fact, a Consumer Reports survey found that 64% of drivers want to see this tech implemented in their vehicle. Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is another system that is being developed to improve safety, where your vehicle can keep at a safe following distance from those in front at a set speed. ACC will help your vehicle adapt to the surrounding vehicles and moderate speed in response to speeding up or slowing down.

Responsible users

In the end, whilst we still drive the vehicle, then we have to take responsibility. Avoiding distraction, abiding by the laws and heading warnings is key. The driver has to prioritise their safety and the safety of those around them.

There might be points while driving when your vehicle could be stationary in traffic. Is that an acceptable point to check your phone?

The moment you begin driving and are not parked in an appropriate parking spot, you’re at risk of being pulled over and punished for using your phone. Plus, if the traffic starts moving unexpectedly, you could cause accidents or further jams by being distracted.

Despite the increasing levels of driver aids, driving is a human activity. Getting behind the wheel is a contract to protect yourself and others by remaining alert and driving appropriately to ever changing situations. It is essential that all drivers respect this – everything can change in a second and a drivers needs to be concentrating in order to respond. Your phone wont save you, only you can do that.