Lytx welcomes transport secretary’s focus on distracted driving

Driver safety and compliance solutions specialist Lytx Europe has welcomed news that the UK transport secretary is considering a number of options to combat distracted driving. Patrick McLoughlin has suggested that the penalty for using a mobile phone while driving could be doubled from the current three points, while a government spokesman said "Using a mobile phone while driving is extremely dangerous which is why we are considering a number of options to deter drivers." Julie Townsend, deputy chief
July 18, 2014 Read time: 2 mins

Driver safety and compliance solutions specialist 7806 Lytx Europe has welcomed news that the UK transport secretary is considering a number of options to combat distracted driving.

Patrick McLoughlin has suggested that the penalty for using a mobile phone while driving could be doubled from the current three points, while a government spokesman said "Using a mobile phone while driving is extremely dangerous which is why we are considering a number of options to deter drivers."

Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive of road safety charity 4235 Brake, said she would welcome the proposal should it ever become legislation, saying she hoped the government will implement it.

Lytx suggests consuming food and drink while driving should also be considered in the distracted driving discussion and is encouraging ministers reviewing current deterrents to consider ways to deter eating and drinking behind the wheel. This is based on Lytx data which shows that drivers who eat and drink while driving are 3.6 times more likely to be involved in a collision than those who don’t.

The data shows that eating and drinking while driving is nearly as dangerous as using a mobile device, which makes drivers 4.7 times more likely to be involved in a collision.

Lytx Europe general manager Paul Jones said: “We know that distracted driving is a significant factor in vehicle collisions. Our predictive analytics show that distractions, which include eating and drinking and use of mobile devices, are among the leading causes of collisions. The message is to remove all distractions and focus on driving safely. Getting into a collision and potentially causing serious injury simply isn’t worth it.

“Over 1,700 people were killed and more than 180,000 people were injured on UK roads in 2013, according to the most recent 1837 Department for Transport figures. The fact is that the majority of these incidents are due to human error and are avoidable. We’re dedicated to using our technology to help professional drivers adopt safer driving habits and measurably reduce the risk that is happening on our roads every day.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Voting for change - the democratisation of transportation
    December 8, 2014
    Contra Costa is using an innovative planning method to gather suggestions and craft future transportation spending plans. Public opinion in matters relating to transport rarely exceeds complaints about congestion on the roads, crowded metros, slow buses with ‘exorbitant’ fares or perhaps enforcement cameras.
    Read More
  • The future of in-vehicle navigation systems
    February 3, 2012
    TRL's Alan Stevens looks at the evolution and future prospects of in-vehicle navigation devices. Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) plays a crucial role in the safety of vehicles on our roads. Until we achieve full automation (and that's a debatable prospect anyway) a driver's interaction with the vehicle - all the controls, information and systems - holds a pivotal role in safe driving.
    Read More
  • UK defaults to hard shoulder running to expand motorway capacity
    April 8, 2014
    Hard shoulder running has become the UK’s default response to increasing motorway capacity as Colin Sowman reports. Facing a predicted 46% increase in traffic levels by 2040 and the current economic recovery leading to more people travelling to, from and for work leaves the UK government under short- and long-term pressure to increase the capacity on the main motorway network. Particular sections of motorways are already experiencing repeated, sometimes tidal, congestion and both tight Treasury limits and t
    Read More
  • Cohda Wireless: 'New York has the best urban canyons'
    July 21, 2020
    Dr Paul Alexander, chief technical officer of Cohda Wireless, talks to Adam Hill about DSRC versus C-V2X, global connected vehicle take-up, the uses of WiFi – and, of course, seeing round the Big Apple's buildings...
    Read More

Highlighted Content