‘Quarter of crashes’ caused by distraction, says FIA Region 2

FIA Region 2 has warned that a driver only has to be distracted for two seconds to cause a crash. The FIA’s data suggests that to 25% of road crashes are due to distraction, with up to 30% of total driving time spent on distracting activities. Commissioner Violetta Bulc, European Commissioner for Transport, recently warned against distraction caused by using mobile phones. She said: “Distraction from mobile devices has become one of the top crash factors. Reports show it has even overtaken speed and alc
September 13, 2019 Read time: 2 mins
FIA Region 2 has warned that a driver only has to be distracted for two seconds to cause a crash. The FIA’s data suggests that to 25% of road crashes are due to distraction, with up to 30% of total driving time spent on distracting activities.


Commissioner Violetta Bulc, European Commissioner for Transport, recently warned against distraction caused by using mobile phones. She said: “Distraction from mobile devices has become one of the top crash factors. Reports show it has even overtaken speed and alcohol as the highest risk factors.”

She has welcomed the FIA Region’s 2seconds campaign in raising awareness of the risk of distraction among road users.

“Technology can help, and the EU is making sure that everyone benefits from it: making driver drowsiness and distraction warning systems mandatory for all cars in its new vehicle safety legislation,” she adds.

However, she emphasises the importance of making road users aware of “even short spans of inattention” as technology can “only be an assistance to drivers”.

“To achieve zero road deaths by 2050 in the EU, we need to do everything we can – together,” she concludes.

UTC

Related Content

  • January 20, 2016
    Digital Single Market: FIA demands data protection regulation for connected cars
    The European Parliament is to adopt the ‘Towards a Digital Single Market Act’ as a follow-up to the digital single market strategy for Europe presented by the Commission. The report emphasises the need for the EU to embrace the potential of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector to digitise the industry and maintain global competitiveness. Jacob Bangsgaard, FIA Region I director general said: “Mobility-related applications will in the coming years have a tremendous impact on the way
    Read More
  • November 17, 2017
    MEPs call for driver-assistance systems to made compulsory for new cars
    Following over 25,000 deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries on Europe’s roads each year, 90% of which are caused by human error, MEPs are calling for new cars to be equipped with lifesaving driver assistance systems in a draft resolution. Three-quarters of new cars are still not equipped with the systems due to the extra cost. In response, the resolution suggests only making features compulsory that are already available on the market such as automatic emergency braking systems with pedestrian and
    Read More
  • February 2, 2012
    Cross-border enforcement close to becoming a reality
    TISPOL Director Ad Hellemons offers the organisation's perspective on the issue of cross-border enforcement of traffic penalties, the progress that has been made and the potential hurdles yet to be overcome
    Read More
  • August 14, 2019
    British drivers face ban on hands-free mobiles
    UK drivers could be banned from using phones in hands-free mode, following a suggestion from MPs. The House of Commons Transport Select Committee has said that current UK law creates the “misleading impression” that the use of hands-free phones is a safe driving practice. However, there is increasing evidence to show that hands-free usage “creates the same risks of collision as using a hand-held device,” say the law-makers. In its latest report, Road Safety: driving while using a mobile phone, the
    Read More

Highlighted Content