You might think that the number one cause of road fatalities is speeding, and historically it has been since the advent of the motor vehicle.
But in recent years, a new threat has emerged: inattention.
According to figures from the Road Directorate, it has accounted for 60 percent of all fatalities in the past five years on Danish roads: 505 fatalities.
But while drivers know how dangerous it is to look at a screen or handheld while driving – three out of four correctly identified it as the leading cause of fatal crashes before speeding – many continue to do so.
In fact, a minority still believe that it is perfectly acceptable to either talk, read or write while driving – which is the reason for a new campaign,’Drive a car when you drive a car‘, has been launched this week.
One death every four days
“Every four days a person dies in traffic due to inattention. All too often it is the electronics inside the cabin that steal the attention, but there are no text messages or changing music tracks that are so important that they cannot wait,” says Lisbeth Sahl Bauditz, senior project manager at the Council for Safe Traffic. the council for safe traffic.
The latest survey by the Council for Safe Traffic and Wilke reveals that over 10 percent of drivers occasionally or often talk on a hand-held mobile phone – and more than 20 percent if you include those who rarely do so.
Up to a third sometimes read a text or check the internet – even though 87, 89 and 91 percent find it unacceptable to talk, check or write respectively at a speed of 40 km/h or slower.
While fewer are using handhelds, more are using fixed devices as the law allows – and this has led to an increase in the number checking/reading messages.
“Perhaps it is unpopular to sit and look at the mobile phone during the family dinner, but in any case it is not directly dangerous. When driving a car, on the other hand, it is important to make the right choice and stop looking at the electronic equipment,” warned Bauditz.
Source: The Nordic Page