Texting and driving, as well as other forms of distractions while on the road, can be every bit as hazardous as the dangers of drunken driving in South Africa.
This caution comes from Netcare’s general manager: emergency, trauma, transplant and corporate social investment, Mande Toubkin.
“It is not possible at present to establish how many motor vehicle crashes in South Africa may be related to distracted driving, which may include using a cellphone or other technologies while on the road,” said Toubkin.
“However, most authorities would agree that it is becoming a leading cause of road accidents in this country, where a staggering one million motor vehicle accidents were reported to the South African Police Service last year.”
Toubkin said Netcare has many patients who are admitted to the emergency departments who report that their vehicle accidents were related to one or another form of diversion while they were driving.
Toubkin added that the Automobile Association (AA) recently undertook a survey in which it observed that during a typical traffic peak morning, 7.2 percent of 2 500 drivers were actually holding and using their cellphones while driving. Other forms of distracted driving were not recorded in the survey. Toubkin believes that with increased usage of mobile devices, drivers are more prone to undertaking these potentially unsafe activities than ever before.
“There is a growing body of evidence that shows that the distraction caused by cellphones or other technologies can impair driver performance and competence in a number of ways, including delayed reaction times, and an impaired ability to keep in the correct road lane and maintain safe following distances,” Toubkin pointed out.
“If what you are doing causes you to either take your eyes off the road, one or both hands off the steering wheel, do not do it.”
Netcare’s trauma programme manager, Rene Grobler, added that it is a misconception that using a hands-free mobile phone kit comes without risk.
“Drivers talking on their mobile phones, either hand-held or hands-free, are all at an increased risk of having an accident because they are trying to dial or take calls, or may simply be cognitively distracted by conversation. As modern neuroscience shows, the human brain is simply not able to efficiently deal with too many activities simultaneously.”
She added, “As motor vehicle drivers with a responsibility to each other, let us all make a contract with ourselves today to stop engaging in any activities which place our and others’ lives at risk.”
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