Skip to main content

One-tenth of car accidents in France are caused by mobile telephone use

A French study cliams that nearly one-tenth of car accidents causing bodily injuries are associated with the use of mobile telephones. Compared to drivers who do not have phone conversations while driving, the risk of an accident increases threefold whether a driver is talking directly into a mobile phone or using a hands free kit. At any given moment, it is calculated that roughly six per cent of all drivers are talking on their mobile phones or hands-free kits.
May 16, 2012 Read time: 1 min
A French study claims that nearly one-tenth of car accidents causing bodily injuries are associated with the use of mobile telephones. Compared to drivers who do not have phone conversations while driving, the risk of an accident increases threefold whether a driver is talking directly into a mobile phone or using a hands free kit. At any given moment, it is calculated that roughly six per cent of all drivers are talking on their mobile phones or hands-free kits.

The report was published by Inserm, the French national institute for health and medical research, and the Ifsttar institute for transport science and technology.

Related Content

  • February 6, 2020
    Polarised imaging gives enforcement clarity
    Polarised imaging advances have finally allowed ITS technology to catch up with previously unenforceable international bans on smoking in cars, says Sony’s Stephane Clauss
  • February 5, 2015
    Prison sentence for holding a mobile device while driving
    As of 1 February, it will be illegal for drivers in Singapore to hold any type of mobile device while driving. Previously, only calling or texting someone on a mobile phone was barred. Anyone caught holding any mobile device, phone or tablet, while driving can be found guilty of committing an offence; this means mobile phones and tablets. The new changes include not just talking or texting but also surfing the web, visiting social media sites and downloading material. The law also applies to just hold
  • October 31, 2014
    Traffic accidents ‘number one worldwide cause of death among the young’
    A new study released by the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT) found that traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for youths, regardless of a country’s economic well-being. Thirty-one percent of all traffic-related deaths in the world are youth and young adults aged between 15 and 29 years. This translates to more than 400,000 lives lost per year, which exceeds youth deaths caused by diseases, drug use, suicide, violence or war-related events. Whether a traffic-related death of a youth occurs i
  • September 17, 2014
    Apple iWatch to significantly impair driving performance says IAM
    Leading road safety charity the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) is warning drivers about the potential risks associated with smart watches while driving. The latest piece of wearable technology from Apple will allow users to make and receive calls, check messages and monitor their health by operating the device on their wrists. However, the IAM warns that this could significantly impair driving performance – a major cause for distraction and road accidents.